A new secondary school is set to be built in Bradford, but when and where is yet to be determined.
Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Rob Keffer says seeing the town on the Simcoe County District School Board's top-five list of needed schools is great news and important for the fast-growing municipality.
"With people moving into our town with young families, it is the school system that makes them feel part of our community," he said. "With our schools already at capacity and some definitely overcapacity, with three new elementary schools under construction right now, it is time to build a new high school."
Keffer noted the length of the application process will depend on the location of the site selected by the school board, but estimates it will be six months for planning and building applications to be completed before construction can begin, which will take approximately two years.
School board spokesperson Sarah Kekewich says with the significant growth in the elementary grades in Bradford, the current secondary school — Bradford District High School (BDHS) — would be over capacity by as much as 850 students within five years and 1,500 students within 10 years.
Kekewich says the board is actively reviewing potential locations for the high school.
"Multiple sites that are immediately developable have been identified," she said. "(Board) staff are currently working with the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury and County of Simcoe staff on associated planning.”
Keffer says the town is ready to help in any way possible with the project.
