The Thames Valley District School Board has received $10.5 million in provincial funding to support the construction of a new elementary school in Thamesford.
The Ontario Ministry of Education announced the funding will go toward purchasing a 7.7-acre site at 149 Brock Street. The new school will be built on that property as part of the board’s long-term plan to address community growth.
The Thames Valley board had already been approved for $23.4 million in January for the design and construction of a new elementary school and childcare centre. The additional funding will help the board move forward by acquiring the land and preparing the site for future development.
Plans for the new school include space for approximately 480 students from junior kindergarten to Grade 4, as well as an on-site childcare facility with five rooms that can accommodate up to 88 children.
The new building will be in Riverside Village, a large residential development that is expected to bring over 1,000 new homes to the area. School officials say the project is intended to support families moving into the growing community.
Construction will begin once development in Riverside Village advances. An opening date for the new school has not been announced yet.
When the new elementary school opens, Thamesford Public School will be reconfigured to serve students in Grades 5 through 8, helping to balance enrolment and make better use of existing facilities.
