Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County has completed a joint-use agreement with Northland School Division for Grouard Northland School.
At its regular meeting July 24, council approved to enter into a joint-use and planning agreement (JUPA).
The Municipal Government Act (MGA) was amended June 10, 2020 to require municipalities to enter such agreements with school divisions within their municipal boundaries, Pat Olansky, director of community services and planning, told council.
Grouard Northland School is the only Northland school within Big Lakes.
A JUPA is a formal partnership between a municipality and a school division to enable the integrated and long-term planning and use of school sites on municipal land designated as municipal reserve (MR), school reserve (SR), and municipal and school reserve land (MSR), Olansky explained.
Grouard Councillor Jeff Chalilfoux asked Olansky who drafted the document and if it meets all requirements.
Olansky replied it was drafted by administration.
“It covers all the bases,” Olansky told council
The proposed agreement was drafted in partnership with the Northland superintendent and is specific to the Grouard school, she wrote in her report to council.
Big Lakes’ legal firm reviewed the draft and confirmed the document meets the requirements.
Northland has designated the school gymnasium and the playing fields on division property a joint-use space and will be available to the county and community groups during specific hours – school days from Monday to Friday from 4-10 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m to 10 p.m.
Back in 2020, Northland School Division announced plans to replace the school building that opened in 1985.
At its regular meeting June 10, 2020, Big Lakes council authorized a letter of support to Northland to replace the building.
A new building for the school for kindergarten to Grade 10 was stated as a high priority in the Northland’s 2021-24 capital plan.