A year after the project was first announced, the new Glenmerry Elementary School in Trail is expected to go to tender soon.
Kootenay-Columbia school district operations manager Heather Simm showed some renderings to city council last month, explaining that one of the key features of the building will be its flexibility.
Some of the classrooms will have moveable or retractable walls. There is also a large room that has been dubbed a neighbourhood learning centre that can be used in many different ways. During the day, the school could use it as a classroom space, while in the evenings it could host other programming.
“The whole idea is to develop state of the art education but to try to make it as flexible as possible,” Simm told council, adding that they are trying not to put fixed furniture in the middle of classrooms or hallways.
The new school will be two storeys so the current school can continue to function while it’s built.
Construction is expected to start this August with the opening September 2024. The provincial government has set aside $33.6 million for the school, which will have room for 435 students, compared to the current school’s 270-seat capacity.
