The former Crescent Valley School property has been selected as the site of a new kindergarten-to-Grade 5 school in Saint John's north end.
"School facilities are hives of activity for students during the day and the community at large after hours," said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan. "A new school for north-end Saint John will inspire student learning and help us with our goal of building a better education system for New Brunswick."
The new school will replace Hazen White-St. Francis School and Centennial School, which are both more than 55 years old.
The site - 84 Ropewalk Rd. - is between the existing schools and near community amenities such as the YMCA, the public library and the Canada Games Aquatic Centre.
"We are pleased to help build a facility that will provide a positive learning environment for hundreds of students," said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Richard Ames. "This much-needed new school will serve the community well for years to come."
The existing building on the site will be replaced with a modern facility designed to accommodate 522 students. The government will invest $3 million during the 2023-24 fiscal year to support planning, design and site preparation.
Construction is expected to begin next spring, with the school anticipated to open in September 2026.
"There has been tremendous support for this new school from the Anglophone South School District Education Council, local organizations and the community," said district superintendent Derek O'Brien. "The north end is a growing community, and we are very pleased the location will be in the heart of the neighbourhood, to serve as a welcoming place for our students, their families and the residents of Saint John's north end."
Several factors are taken into consideration when choosing a site for a new school, including community amenities, community school use, catchment area, accessibility of the site, available utilities, transportation strategies, natural site conditions and site size.
