The location of the new $21-million Niverville High School will be just west of the current Centennial Arena in Niverville and future $16.5-million multiplex.

Gord Daman helped facilitate communication and planning between the various parties involved in the joint project. He says having a community campus is important in increasing value for the money put into the project and to have shared services between the school division and the Town of Niverville.

"We have shared services so we're not repeating things like a parking lot or landscaping. But as importantly we're reducing environmental impact as well by having a shared parking lot, and looking at drainage plans. What that does is that we're more considerate of the environmental footprint that's created whenever there's new construction. Also coming together cooperatively and collocating both facilities together in a shared space is just the innovative thing to do."

Daman notes, in this way, the project will save everyone, including taxpayers, money and will show they're good stewards to the earth.

Hanover School Division superintendent Randy DueckHanover School Division superintendent Randy Dueck says they have been working hard in the last month with the Town of Niverville to come to an agreement to have the multiplex attached to the school, a process which usually takes close to a year.

"There are some really great synergies that can be at work here. First of all, there's going to be some programming opportunities here," notes Dueck. "We're going to build a good, stand alone school that's going to be great all by itself. But, one day when it's standing next to a multiplex that's connected by an indoor link (enclosed hallway), the kids attending this school will have program opportunities that no other kid in Hanover School Division will have."

Dueck says they decided on this particular location after consulting with the Town of Niverville, looking at synergies and cost efficiencies.

Niverville Mayor Myron Dyck says a new high school is something the community has talked about for several years and is excited about the opportunities an attached multiplex will bring.

"It's not that we're looking to have the community impact on the school but we are talking about things like a library, we're talking about larger tournaments and more gym space. There's going to be a 74 daycare space in the school, we're looking to do an indoor playground in the multiplex and there could be a possibility between a hard link as it's shown in the schematic."

Dyck notes the multiplex would have amenities including an ice rink, field house, indoor playground, and a mezzanine walking/running track. For the multiplex, Dyck says council has committed $5-million to the $16.5-million project and will be applying for the Build Canada 150 fund in the fall with the hopes of being granted money when the announcements are made in the spring, adding there is a provincial match component with the federal funding.

Going forward Dueck says, "[the] next steps; we're continuing to work with our architects. We're sending away the design development part of this school by July 21. That's basically all the key concepts and the design of the building itself, how it's located here on this site in relation to other pieces. Then the architects start working on some real details within the building at that time."

The funds for the high school will come from the Public Finance Board. Dueck adds they are hoping to break ground on the school project in March with completion by September 2019.

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Site Announced For New Niverville High School