Stratford council approves permit to expand elementary school

Town council has approved a building permit for the expansion of Stratford Elementary School.

The multi-million dollar, two-storey expansion plans were announced earlier this yearto address overcrowding in Stratford schools.

Theaddition on the back of the elementary building will likely allow one or half a grade to move from Glen Stewart Primary to Stratford Elementary which is right next door and accommodate growth in the community.

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The 14-classroom expansion is about 24,000 sq.ft., making it a near 50 per cent addition as the current school is about 53,000 sq. ft.

There will be another gym and music room along with more space for planning, guidance counsellors, EAL students, break out rooms, washrooms and gender-neutral washrooms.

Concerns around intersection

Although the building permit has been approved, there are several conditions still to be met in the not-too-distant future, Stratford Mayor David Dunphy says.

One of those conditionsincludes addressing the intersection at Glen Stewart Drive and Stratford Road intersection. The province is working on atraffic study in the area right now.

"It's a high-traffic area, certainly in the morning,and when school lets out it's a very congested area. The minister understands the situation," Dunphy said.

"The province has got to have some kind of a commitment to us that it will be addressed by July 1 of next year."

Dunphy said the study willbe a necessary component of the expansionas the town has "to ensure that the safety of the travelling public and the people on sidewalks is addressed in that area."

Work on the school expansionis expected to start this summer and finish by August2019. A government tender is out for phase two ofthe construction; tenders willbe accepted until July 6.

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