Thames Valley awarded the tender for the construction of a $31.9-million elementary school and child care centre for north Woodstock to Graceview Enterprises Inc. on April 3, 2024. The project is expected to be completed by January of 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year.
The school will be located at 717 Knights Lane and have space for 856 students. It will also include a five-room child care centre for 10 infants, 30 toddlers and 48 preschoolers.
The current funding includes an additional $6.3-million from the Ministry to address cost overages.
"Thames Valley is excited to share with Oxford County students and families that a new elementary school and child care centre for north Woodstock is one step closer to completion," said Thames Valley Director of Education Mark Fisher, "We look forward to seeing shovels in the ground and working towards opening the school."
School board Chair Beth Mai joined Vice Chair/Oxford Trustee David Cripps and Oxford Trustee Leanne Hopkins in thanking everyone involved in the project: "We are deeply grateful towards the Ministry as well as the municipalities and community partners who have supported the changing needs of this project. We look forward to welcoming students and families while celebrating future milestones with the community and everyone who has made this new school and child care centre a reality."
"We are determined to build schools and expansions faster, part of our commitment to modernize schools in fast growing communities," said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. "We are proud to deliver this critical expansion to the capacity of the new Woodstock Public School for local families, along with increasing funding, staffing and a back-to-basics focus on reading, writing and math skills to help ensure students graduate with confidence that they can succeed in good-paying careers."
"This new school will be a welcoming addition to north Woodstock," said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. "I am excited to see this project is getting underway. My constituents and I are looking forward to seeing this new learning environment that will come from this tender process."
"Oxford County welcomes the additional child care spaces planned to get started in the near future to provide much needed spaces and improve access to child care in Oxford County. Child care within schools provide opportunities for partnerships and seamless transition for children into school-age education. Oxford County is pleased with the investment in licensed school based child care in the County," said Kelly Black, Oxford CMSM.
For more details about the future Woodstock elementary school and other Thames Valley Capital Projects, visit https://www.tvdsb.ca/projects.
