The Thames Valley District School Board advises it has acquired land for its future elementary school in Belmont.
The property is located along the south side of Seventh Avenue and west of Snyders Avenue.
Three years ago, then MPP Jeff Yurek had the news Belmont and area residents had been waiting four years to hear. Yurek proclaimed, “the provincial government has approved the tendering of an $8.7 million elementary school in Belmont.”
However, the school board and the developer of a subdivision on the west side of Belmont had reached a stalemate over acquiring the land for the new school.
At a meeting in August of last year, trustees voted to acquire land for the school through the Expropriations Act if a deal could not be reached with the developer of the Craigholme Estates subdivision.
On January 31 of this year, the trustees approved the final steps toward the land expropriation process.
Due to the delay, the Ministry of Education announced in March of this year an additional $3.4 million in funding for the project. The additional funding will allow the board to increase the size of the school to accommodate 507 students.
This larger school will consolidate enrollment from South Dorchester Public School, with students from Northdale Central Public School, River Heights Public School, Westminster Central Public School and Davenport Public School attendance areas.
Pending ministry approvals, the school is expected to be completed for the 2026-27 school year.
Staff plan to hold a community information session about the school this fall.
Written by Ian McCallum
