The Prairie Land Regional Division (PLRD) Board of Trustees decided to throw their support behind the Delia School Enhancement Society (DSES) at their Sept. 18 board meeting.
In a seven to one decision, trustees voted in favour of a motion brought forward by Trustee Shandele Battle to guarantee a loan up to $1.2 million toward the enhancement of the new Delia School.
Approved last March as part of Alberta’s 2018 Capital Plan, the construction of the new K – 12 school in Delia triggered a community-wide effort to enhance the new building above the Alberta Education approved prototype.
Through the Delia School Enhancement Society, organized in April 2018, a funding plan was created to raise over a $1 million toward community- approved upgrades which include $120,000 toward a larger in-school library space which will also house the Delia municipal library, a $450,000 multi-purpose learning space to be used by the school and the whole community and more than $600,000 toward a gymnasium large enough to meet the needs of the entire village.
The Prairieland loan guarantee will ensure that the school enhancements can be included in the revised blueprints before construction begins in 2019.
According to Battle, the DSES has already secured pledges totalling $534,750.
The society will continue to raise funds through their ‘Make Your Mark’ campaign, grant opportunities, community fundraising and an ‘Agriculture for Education’ campaign, expecting to repay the Prairieland loan in two years.
In a separate motion, Prairieland trustees agreed to invest $100,000 in the Delia School.
Both the $1.2 million loan guarantee and the $100,000 investment will come from capital reserves.
Linda Stillinger
ECA Review
