Parkside Seeking Donations for Gym Expansion as Part of Modernization Project

Photo: A recent basketball game at Parkside school, showing the lack of space for spectators to sit while watching the game.  

Parkside Junior High School received design funding in 2023 from Alberta Education for a modernization project. Built in 1958, the school received an addition in 1971. Outside of regular maintenance, there have been upgrades in terms of flooring and new paint, but no further renovations. Currently, 154 students in Grades 7, 8 and 9 are attending the school.  

Janet Kraft, Vice Principal of Parkside School, “the whole Redcliff community is excited for the modernization and to get an upgraded junior high school.”  

One of the key features of the modernization is a new, larger gym. At present, the gym is small and spectators at sporting events are relegated to sitting on the stage, huddled in corners or standing alongside the baseline. However, to build the best gym, about $600,000 will need to be raised through community support.  

Sylis Robins, Grade 8 student at Parkside explained how it is playing basketball in the current gym. “When there is a pass-in, after the ball goes out of bounds, it’s hard to fit in among the crowd. It’s also easier for the ball to go out and it hits lots of parents in the crowd who are watching.” 

When playing at schools with larger gyms, Robins said the team doesn’t feel as enclosed, making it easier to make the plays the team has practiced. “I’m excited for the new gym because it will be a new experience and it will be pretty cool in there.” 

With no place for spectators to sit, it makes it challenging for Parkside to host tournaments. Storage is also an issue, with equipment kept in various locations around the school. Part of the modernization and the reason for adding 80 square meters to the size of the gym is so bleachers can be accommodated outside of the playing courts with having all equipment stored in one central area.  

A larger gym will benefit the entire community of Redcliff, added Kraft, as others will be able to access the new facilities. “Right now, we have volleyball that runs out of the gym every Tuesday and pickleball on Sundays, but there would be more opportunities for the town with a larger gym.” 

Kandice McInnes, President of the Parkside Parent Council has a child on the Grade 7 basketball team. “One of the struggles we see for the Grade 7 team is we can’t come in and watch other games, so we can’t learn from them. During practice, sometimes there is extra space as there are less parents in the gym; however, we don’t get to sit and watch tournaments or games. Unless you have a player in the gym, you don’t get to be in there because there is no room. We are limited to what we can do and where we can do it.”  

McInnes has watched the Grade 7 team play at other schools and finds the gyms are bright and open along with being more inclusive, where larger numbers of spectators, including students, can sit and watch the games.  

“The other side of the modernization is for everything else, whether it be the arts program or cooking programs or all of those things, we just don’t have the space,” stated McInnes. “We have to take the money we are allocated and put it into all of these things, which cuts down our ability to put in seating (in the gym) because we can only budget for so much.” 

Kraft added the school isn’t very well set up for visitors entering the school, with the main office difficult to spot after walking through the front doors as it’s behind a closed-off wall and across the main foyer.  

“In the new building design, it’s an open facility,” explained Kraft. “Walking in, one would see the office staff and they can see you, which is also great for safety. The students will have a gathering area to sit and visit. Instead of having three different lunchroom classes, we would have one area as an open lunchroom/foyer for students to gather and eat together. It would be good for building school community and school spirit, creating a welcoming school environment by opening up the school so you can see people and things.” 

Robins mentioned having an open foyer/lunch area would be beneficial. He has friends in Grade 7 and 9 but currently doesn’t get to see them much during school hours as there is nowhere within the school for them to meet.  

Prairie Rose Public Schools will know around the end of February, after the budget is released, if Parkside will receive construction funding this year.  

Chief Financial Officer for PRPS Ryan Boser explained, “we only have design funding, but our hope is once the budget is released at the end of this month, we will get construction funding. Parkside will remain on our Capital Plan as our number one priority until we get construction funding, which is that final step that allows us to take the project off our Capital Plan.” 

The schematic design for the modernization is almost complete and shows the new layout of the school. Next will be the design development stage, where the architect will begin working on a more detailed design, such as the layout of individual rooms along with paint colours.  

In closing, McInnes stated, “I am grateful Alberta Education decided Parkside was due and approved us for our modernization as opposed to building a new school. I don’t believe that putting a new school way out in the middle nowhere that has no services, houses or development is a good idea. As a community in Redcliff, we love that our kids are everywhere. Wherever you go, you see our kids and we have incredibly well-behaved children, for the most part, and it’s how you learn to be a community. When the modernization of this school was approved, I was very excited about it because we are still in the middle of the town.” 

An estimated $600,000 will need to be fundraised to build a gym that will accommodate bleachers along with either two volleyball courts, one basketball court or six badminton courts. For more information about the project, or to donate, please contact Prairie Rose Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Ryan Boser (ryanboser@prrd8.ca or call 403-527-5516). All donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.  

Regular updates about the Parkside School modernization project can be found on the Prairie Rose Public Schools website (https://www.myprps.com/parkside-jr-high-school-modernization-project). 

By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer