Two days after students of flood ravaged Elbow Park School were informed the modular classroom setup on the grounds of Earl Grey School would not be constructed in time for the start of the school year, parents of the displaced students have located unused portables belonging to the Alberta Ministry of Education.
On Tuesday August 27, the Calgary Board of Education announced the elementary school students would begin their 2013-2014 classes at Eugene Coste School. The school, located in Haysboro, was closed two years ago due to dwindling attendance and is a significant distance from Elbow Park. According to the CBE, the estimated driving time between the two schools is 15-30 minutes depending on traffic.
Frustrated parents took it upon themselves to search the internet for portable classrooms and were shocked to discover a company in Crossfield had fully constructed modular rooms belonging to the province waiting to be transported.
Nearly 80 completed portables, some belonging to the Alberta Ministry of Education, are currently sitting on the grounds of Modus Structures approximately 30 kilometres north of Calgary.
According to the Elbow Park School Parent Association, representatives spoke with the Education Minister’s Chief of Staff on Wednesday. During the conversation, the association was told the Ministry was unaware of the existence of the portable classrooms in Crossfield and members of the Minister’s staff would visit Modus on Thursday.
With files from CTV's Bill Macfarlane
