Environment Minister Dustin Duncan and MLA for Weyburn-Big Muddy made a major funding announcement for the Southeast Regional College on behalf of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris on February 25.
The Government of Saskatchewan is providing $1.63 million in year-end funding for the Southeast Regional College portion of the Southeast Education Centre (formerly Weyburn Comprehensive School) multi-use facility. The funding will go toward detailed design costs for the permanent facility and a temporary program delivery site.
"We are working with the Southeast Regional College to ensure that campus space in Weyburn meets the needs of students," Norris said.
As proposed, this multi-use facility will bring together Southeast Cornerstone and Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate school divisions, the College and the City of Weyburn, resulting in cost efficiencies, greater student transition and support, as well as cultural and social opportunities.
"The Board of Governors and Management of Southeast College are enormously pleased to receive this funding from the provincial government," Southeast Regional College Board Chair Sheila Sterling said. "This allocation of funding will allow us to address extra costs incurred in the redevelopment of the Weyburn Campus. Because of our partnership with the provincial government and the assistance it is providing to the Southeast College, the Weyburn Campus project will continue to move forward successfully."
As envisioned, the facility will house Grades 7 to 12 with a separate wing for Southeast Regional College. The Ministry of Education has also provided $17.4 million through the 2009-10 Budget for renovations and expansion to consolidate Grades 7 to 12 in the high school portion of this facility. The proposed new Southeast Regional College Weyburn Campus is an 86 percent increase in functional space.
Duncan said that although there is still a lot of work to be done designing what the new Education Centre will look like, he believes it will serve as a hobnob, not only for the education system, but for the community.
"As a former student in the Weyburn system I am excited to see the Comp get this renewal," said Duncan. "Once renovations are completed at the Comp I think it will be something we can all be proud of."
The government will also fund the renovation of St. Dominic School next summer, which will act as temporary housing for the College's classrooms during renovations at the high school. This will take place after renovations at St. Michael's are complete and elementary students are moved from St. Dominic's to St. Mike's.
