Partner for Halifax, CSAP Schools
Municipal-Armoyan Construction is the preferred partner to build schools with the Halifax Regional School Board and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP).
In making the announcement today, Education and Culture Minister Robbie Harrison said: "School construction is on target. We're now ready to build as quickly as Municipal-Armoyan can work with school boards and communities, and get the schools under way."
New schools for the Halifax region are: Hammonds Plains Junior High; St. Margarets Bay/Boutiliers Point/Tantallon; Bedford/Hammonds Plains Elementary; Beechville/Lakeside/Timberlea; Clayton Park West Elementary; Millwood Elementary; Eastern Passage Junior High; Fall River High; and Portland Estates/Cole Harbour Elementary.
Two schools have been approved to meet the needs of students who currently attend Ecole du Carrefour.
Project details and scheduling can now be discussed with both school boards. At the same time, lease and financing arrangements will be finalized.
A strength of the Municipal-Armoyan proposal includes a commitment to consult with communities and to begin construction and open schools as soon as possible. As well, the proposal includes a solid financing package, demonstrating good value for money. To quote the group: "We are prepared to invest our equity and management skills to develop your lifelong learning centres on time."
"I am delighted that our projects have been awarded," said Don Trider, superintendent of the Halifax school board. "Our team is ready to work with the partner and the communities to develop world-class educational facilities for our students."
"I am happy the process is moving forward," CSAP superintendent Rejean Sirois said. "Our board is eager to work with all partners to provide our much-needed schools."
Team leaders in the Municipal-Armoyan group include: Municipal Enterprises, with Dexter Construction; the Armoyan Group; Rideau Construction, B.D. Stevens, and Maxim Construction; Harvey and MacKenzie, & Reider, Hymann Lobban, Designers; Deloitte & Touche, Meeks and DeJong & Associates, Technology.
Teams of school board and government representatives evaluated detailed proposals by a short list of partners, leading to these decisions. Mr. Harrison thanked school board staff and members for their time and commitment over the summer. Four board staff represented the Halifax Regional School Board on the evaluation teams. Four board staff and the principal and a teacher at Ecole du Carrefour represented CSAP.
Consultation with school boards and the community will continue to be a strength in planning for all new schools. Leases will be based on a predetermined all-inclusive price covering construction, operating, maintenance and new technology costs for 20 years. This means stable, predictable costs for school boards, and risk-sharing arrangements consistent with recommendations by the auditor general.
Along with new school construction, the department is working with school boards on project details and scheduling of renovation projects to be carried out over the next three years.