Just days ahead of the new school year, Western School Division (WSD) is still waiting for two, new portables to be moved to École Morden Middle School (ÉMMS). The Division was approved for two additional portables in July, and at the time, indicated the timeline would be challenging in getting them ready for the start of school.

Brian Fransen, the Chairperson for the WSD Board of Trustees, notes the portables will help ease the tight spaces in the school.

Fransen explains the Public Schools Finance Board (PSFB) of Manitoba is hoping to get the tenders to move the portables for the end of the week, with the process finishing in about "ten days to two weeks" along with the school getting the portables ready for use.

In July the Board met with Morden-Winkler MLA, Cameron Friesen, and separately with PSFB.

Fransen explains the meeting with Friesen went well and "talked about the space needs we have, and the growth that we have here. . . and how we can best meet those needs."

"In our meeting with the PSFB, we talked a little bit about what the future looks like more specifically for a new school," notes Fransen. "We should not anticipate seeing an announcement for a new school in the next two years."

Fransen says the process will take somewhere between "four and a half to five years" for a new school to be constructed in Morden. If the green light is potentially given in the next two years, Fransen states the construction will take an additional 30 months to complete the school.

 

Relates Story: Western School Division Approved for Portables