The Northern Lights Public Schools Board of Trustees is moving forward with plans to address infrastructure challenges at Art Smith Aviation Academy, North Star Elementary School, and Cold Lake Junior High School - an important step toward ensuring more effective learning environments for students in Cold Lake.
“We have been working closely with various levels of government to find a solution that meets the needs of students at all three schools,” said Board Chair Karen Packard. “We are grateful that the urgency of this project has been recognized and we can now begin planning for facilities that will better serve our students and community."
Last spring, the Cold Lake South Solution was identified as the Board’s second capital priority, expanding on what was originally a request for a replacement school for North Star Elementary. On March 7, Alberta Education approved planning funding for the project, which will allow Northern Lights to define the scope of the project, explore potential sites, and take the necessary steps needed to move on to the design phase.
“Moving this project forward has truly been a team effort,” explained Packard. “We appreciate the advocacy and support of MP Laila Goodridge, MLA Scott Cyr, former Wing Commander Col. Dave Turenne, current Wing Commander Col. Mark Hickey, the Military Families Support Society, and Mayor Craig Copeland in emphasizing the need for these improvements and their impact on the community.”
Each of the schools has a variety of challenges that need to be addressed:
- Art Smith Aviation Academy operates in a federally-owned building on 4 Wing Cold Lake that was deemed “end of life” in 2006. Finding a new location for the alternative program has been challenging.
- North Star Elementary has experienced growth that exceeded projections, pushing the school near capacity and creating space constraints affecting overall space, power, parking, play areas, and gymnasium use.
- Cold Lake Junior High requires upgrades to address design flaws and reduce potential liability risks.
Recognizing the interconnected challenges, the Board prioritized a comprehensive solution rather than treating each issue as a separate competing project.
“By combining these needs into a single initiative, we can explore more effective solutions that may not have been available if we addressed them separately,” explained Packard.
While this project is moving forward, the Board is also focused on pushing its top capital priority over the finish line. A replacement school for Vera M. Welsh Elementary School in Lac La Biche was approved for design funding in 2023, and with the design process now complete, the Board is awaiting construction approval.
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March 7, 2025 - Building schools in every corner of the province