Concept illustrations of the new school to be built in Kingsville.
by Sylene Argent
During its April 26 meeting, Kingsville Council approved the site plan application for the construction of the 12,818 square-meter school, which is being designed to instruct kindergarten through grade 12 students. A daycare is also planned for the site.
The facility will be built on a 25-acre site, located at 1620 Jasperson Drive.
In addition, the Mayor and Clerk were authorized to sign the agreement and register that agreement on title.
The facility will include associated support facilities, parking, drop-off and pick-up areas, and bus lanes.
The Report to Council on the matter notes the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) announced the combined elementary and secondary school five-years ago, which will replace Kingsville District High School, Kingsville Public School, and Jack Miner Public School. It will also accommodate secondary school students from the Harrow area.
The proposed school building will have a mix of single and two-storey areas, with an expected 18-month construction time. The plan does include sports field areas and a track, planned to be developed in the future.
In 2017, the Report to Council continues, the land was rezoned from Residential to Education (EG-1). Robert Brown, Manager of Planning Services, noted there was one site specific requirement put on the property, which was to maintain a 25-foot setback from any structures from the existing residents on Jasperson Drive.
The main access to the property will align with the existing intersection of Woodycrest Avenue and Jasperson Drive to accommodate bus traffic and access for the secondary school portion of the school. A second access is also proposed for staff and parent drop-off for the elementary portion Brown explained, adding there are three parking areas designated on the plan.
The Board officially presented the school design in a livestream open house on January 21, which provided the community its first look at the new building, Brown said. The online presentation was viewed over 4,000 times.
Resident Feedback included around 70-pages of emails and 100 phone calls. Much of the planning-related comments were around the idling of buses, traffic volumes, and the potential for relocating the bus drop-off areas to the rear of the building, Brown said.
Brown relayed the GECDSB noted when buses arrive at the site they do not idle. Part of the traffic concerns is primarily being addressed through the reconstruction and realignment of Jasperson to accommodate the increase in traffic that will result from the school. In addition, he added, information provide by the Board from the bus company notes arrival and departures are split into different times for elementary and secondary.
The Town will encourage the Board and transportation company to rework southerly bound bus routes to avoid the Jasperson and Main Street intersection, Brown said.
Brown noted a permit will need to be taken out though ERCA, and a stormwater management has been submitted.
Councillor Larry Patterson moved the recommendation. “Let’s get this school built,” he said.
Councillor Kim DeYong asked about outdoor recreational space for youths in grade one to eight, as the plan depicts a site for kindergarteners and for high school track. She wondered if there was a provincial standard for providing recreation space. She directed her question to Brown, as there was no representation from the GECDSB present at the meeting.
Brown suspected there would be segregation of the yard area to some degree. When the process started, he noted the minimum lot size for the facility was 25-acres for proper spacing.
Councillor Tony Gaffan commented he was disappointed that the cost-difference is around 30 percent more for materials.
“I just hope that the kids and the future grandkids of Kingsville are not going to be lacking in anything, because we had a Province that decided to slowly take this to five-years before we sought this report,” Gaffan said.
