The City of Airdrie, in collaboration with Conseil scolaire FrancoSud, is set to advance the development of an expanded co-use gymnasium within a planned FrancoSud high school to be located in Reunion. The project will bring much-needed indoor recreation space to the northwest quadrant of Airdrie.
"This project represents a significant opportunity to expand recreation opportunities in our community," says Mayor Peter Brown. "The City thanks Conseil scolaire FrancoSud for their foresight in leveraging planned infrastructure to expand activity opportunities for both future high school students and our community at large."
Through a negotiated funding agreement, the City will contribute a maximum of $5.5 million to the design and construction of the gymnasium. Conseil scolaire FrancoSud will retain ownership of the gymnasium and assume responsibility for cost overruns or escalations on the project. In turn, a 30-year term joint use agreement guarantees the City 50 per cent of prime-time usage hours, allowing residents to access the gym for programs such as drop-in sports, family play programs, group fitness classes and rental opportunities.
"The partnership offers a cost-effective alternative to construction of a standalone recreation site while meeting the city's growing demand for indoor recreation space" says Brad Anderson, manager, Recreation Services.
"The Ecole des Hautes-Plaines in Ravenswood will continue to near capacity as Airdrie grows. We want to provide Airdrie francophone students with a true high school experience with access to dedicated space for vocational and technological studies, science, fine arts, music and sports," says Mrs. Hélène Emmell, FrancoSud Chair. "The agreement with the City of Airdrie will allow for a total of ~1300m2 of gymnasium space and reinforces our connection and commitment to the community."
The future high school is expected to open in the fall of 2027 and will host 435 students grades seven through 12. School construction is managed by Alberta Infrastructure. The project is estimated at $26.8 million and was funded by the Government of Alberta in 2023.
