The 1.2 ha vacant school site at 3804-38 Street in Kiniski Gardens was declared surplus by local school boards in 2009, and subsequently approved by City Council in 2015 for development into a mix of market and affordable medium-density housing under the Building Housing Choices initiative (policy C583).
In September 2016, City Administration presented a report to Executive Committee (item 6.6) proposing that the site be sold to the Headway School Society of Alberta for the purposes of building a private school. A report requesting that the Kiniski Gardens South site be removed from Policy C583 was subsequently approved by Council on September 20, 2016 (item 6.5).
Since coming forward to Council in September 2016, a number of concerns have been raised regarding the potential implications of the City selling surplus school land to a private school. As a result, Council has directed City Administration to place the proposed sale of the Kiniski Gardens - South site on hold to allow for further discussions with the school boards and the community to gain a better understanding of the concerns raised.
The City respects the input and perspectives from the community and all other stakeholders involved, and is committed to working together in a fair, transparent way with all interested parties to come to a collaborative resolution. This will include examining the potential implications for the Joint Use Land Agreement between the City and the local school boards, which governs how school sites are planned and the process that must be followed when local school boards declare a school site surplus to school needs.
The City has reached out to the Board Chairs and Administrative counterparts at each of the school boards to ensure everyone is aware of Council’s direction to work towards a collaborative resolution.
An initial meeting between the City and the School Boards is scheduled for May 2017. Following these discussions, opportunities will be made available for community residents to provide input.
A final decision on the proposed sale is not expected to be made before the first quarter of 2018.