After years of delays, the provincial government has started the construction process for a new elementary school in Beaverton.
The still unnamed school, which will be built on the grounds of Beaverton Public School, is estimated to cost $16.2 million – a figure that includes additional funding of $4.9 million.
“This additional funding for a new Beaverton Thorah elementary school is great news for our community,” said area MPP Laurie Scott.
“This investment will ensure families and students have access to a quality learning environment in the years ahead.”
The new building will include 418 student spaces, 49 child care spaces, three child care rooms and one EarlyON room.
“This is great news for students and families in Brock Township. On behalf of the DDSB’s Board of Trustees and the Beaverton and Thorah Central Public School communities, I want to thank the Government of Ontario for advancing this eagerly anticipated approval. The updated design is essential to supporting our community as it continues to grow. We look forward to breaking ground on this project.” Said Carolyn Morton, area trustee and chair of the Durham District School Board.
The school being built to support the amalgamation and closure of Beaverton P.S. and Thorah Central P.S.
The project was initially announced in 2018 with an expected opening date of September 2020. It’s been delayed twice, initially to September of 2022 before the pandemic pushed it back another year.
“The new school will provide more student spaces in a new, quality learning environment for the growing student population in Beaverton, as well as affordable child care spaces for local parents,” reads a media release from the Province.
“Our government is investing $14 billion over ten years to build new schools, improve existing facilities and create child care spaces to ensure young people can reach their full potential,” added Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.
“By building the new state-of-the-art Beaverton Thorah elementary school, as well as investing in tutoring and mental health supports for the year ahead, we are getting students in Beaverton back on track now and well into the future. While we make progress building this new school for Beaverton, we remain focused on getting students back to class this September in more normal classrooms with extra curriculars, sports, and clubs.”
