Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Published Friday, December 7, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The Department of Education, Culture, and Employment has hired a consultant to discuss the second phase of the Ecole Allain St-Cyr expansion with local francophone organizations.

Clyde Allen and Dennis Tobin from Dowland Construction work on the Ecole Allain St-Cyr expansion that's adding a classroom, science lab, library, more washrooms and extra administrative area for the staff. - Christine Grimard/NNSL photo

Don Kindt, who has a standing contract with ECE, will meet with various organizations in January to look at the second phase of the expansion that would give the city's only francophone school a gym and three additional classrooms.

On top of the school's extra space, the francophone organizations are also asking for a community hall to be built that would be attached to the school, as part of the second phase.

Leo-Paul Provencher, president of the Federation franco-tenoise, said they sent a formal request in June asking for funds to build the adjacent community centre, which would move the Association franco-culturelle de Yellowknife in with the school.

Andre Legare, president of the Commission scolaire francophone de division, said he isn't against the community centre being attached, as long as it doesn't delay the school's expansion plans.

As previous president of the FFT, Legare said that a community hall is a long-time wish of the francophone community, and has been discussed since 1997. He's concerned that trying to include the community hall in the second phase may lead to delays in the further expansion of the school.

Legare said he wouldn't want to wait another 10 years for the school's gym to be constructed.

Yvonne Careen, president of the Association des parents ayants droits de Yellowknife (APADY), said she is also in favour of having the attached community centre as long as it doesn't delay the construction of the second extension.

The association has prepared a letter to Minister of ECE Jackson Lafferty asking for an update on the plans for the next extension.

The first extension came to be after APADY took the territorial government to court, demanding better conditions for their children at the francophone school.

The school does not have a gymnasium, forcing the students to bus down the street to the Multiplex for recreation.

Careen says APADY is ready to go to court once again if nothing comes from the request for the second phase of construction.

She said she wants an answer by Mar. 31, 2008 on when the second phase will take place.

The plans for the second phase of the school's expansion have been submitted by ECE to Heritage Canada. Francophone organizations fall under this federal department for funding.

The first phase of construction is yet to be completed.

Students are expected to move into the extension by spring break. Careen said that is six months later than promised.