Downtown Montreal to get 2 new schools, but elsewhere classrooms still bursting at seams

Montreal's largest school board will be receiving funding to buildtwo new elementary schools in downtown Montreal, Education Minister SbastienProulxannounced Friday.

But the French-language Commission Scolaire de Montral(CSDM), which has schools bursting at the seams inVilleray,RosemontandNotre-Dame-de-Grce,still has school expansion projects awaiting approval in other parts of its territory.

• Villeray parents decry condo plans next to overcrowded school

A brand new school will be built on what's now anempty lot on the historic Grey Nuns site at the corner of Ste-Catherine and St-Mathieu streets. That school will be big enough to accommodate 26 classes, Proulx said.

AcadmieBourget, a century-old school building that's been sitting empty, will be renovated to accommodate 300 students.

The schools will be paid for out of a $608-million fundwhich Proulx announced earlier this week for school renovation and expansion projects across Quebec.

Friday's news conference was held at the vacant AcadmieBourget on de la Montagne Street.

Ironically, that schoolwas built in 1914 because of overcrowdingat that time, saidthe chair of theCSDM,CatherineHarel-Bourdon, beforeProulx'sannouncement.

"More than 100 years later, history repeats itself," she said.

"We're going to work hard to maintain momentum and allow other areas to see space and new schools come to life," said Harel-Bourdon.

People with young families living in the Shaughnessy Village area have been lobbying for a new elementary school to be built on the site of the old Montreal Children's Hospital, however, there was no mention of that possibility at Friday's news conference.

• Parents, students push for new school on site of old Montreal Children's Hospital

"The needs are high," said Montreal MayorValriePlante, who also attended the announcement."There certainly would be space to add a third [school downtown]."

She said that would be up for discussion in the years to come.

Proulxacknowledged the lack of space in Montreal schools, which parents, teachers and school boards have decried for years.

"It's a reality here downtown and everywhere where there is growing density. We're showing flexibility, agility; we're working with you to make it better,"Proulx said.

Still no plan for Saint-Lon-de-Westmount

One of the CSDM's most overcrowded schools isSaint-Lon-de-Westmount. Recent arrivals many of them new immigrants and refugees have been relegated to an annex in Saint-Henri, on the other sideof the Ville-Marie Expressway.

Harel-Bourdon said the Westmount school isone of the schools the school board is hoping to expand, but she is hopeful that the two new downtown schools will easethe pressure on Saint-Lon.

Proulxdid say school officials canexpect more announcements in the coming weeks. He said the province is investing $163 million ina total of 13 projects onthe island of Montreal.

• Faced with overcrowding, French school board looks to English counterpart for help

Among them, a CSDMhigh school, Sophie-Barat, and an elementary school in Pointe-aux-Trembles,Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys, will be expanded.

As well, the greenhouses of the CSDM'shorticultural school on HochelagaStreet, thecole des Mtiers des Faubourgs-de-Montral, will be rebuilt and a newelementary school will be built next door.