Plans to expand Mount Academy to North Rustico, P.E.I. still to go ahead despite delays
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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Regardless of a number of delays, the Mount Academy nonetheless plans to broaden its highschool operations to the brand new area in North Rustico.
In 2021, the Charlottetown-based personal university-preparatory college introduced it might be shifting its grades 9-12 courses to the Eliyahu Wellness Centre Canada Video games Place, which changed the previous North Star Enviornment and Wellness Facility, in 2022.
Nonetheless, attributable to a number of delays from building and provide chain points, the world continues to be not open, and the varsity has not made its transfer to the brand new location.
“We’re placing collectively our lecture rooms. We’re assembling tables, whiteboards, chairs and TVs, so we’re planning prefer it’s going to be a go,” mentioned Kenny MacDougall, co-founder and head of faculty for Mount Academy. “It’s painfully near being completed.”
MacDougall mentioned whereas they anticipate the world to open, the entire college’s teaching programs are nonetheless working at their authentic location at The Mount Persevering with Care Group facility on Mount Edward Street.
Nonetheless, its athletics program, which sees college students spend half of their day both exercising or working towards hockey, is held in two totally different amenities, he mentioned.
“The entire concept about shifting to North Rustico was to have the ability to home all of our college and athletic applications below one roof, so we’re actually anticipating that transfer,” mentioned MacDougall.
Since opening its doorways in 2017, Mount Academy has expanded from solely 21 college students being enrolled, to 147 college students this 12 months. MacDougall mentioned now they’ve six full hockey groups.
MacDougall mentioned the varsity has not solely outgrown its present facility, however a number of the college students reside properly outdoors metropolis limits, forcing them to journey each day – one thing the transfer would rectify.
“In an ideal world we might have been in lengthy earlier than this, however we’ve needed to adapt,” he mentioned. “We now have a few of our youngsters who’re residing out in Stanley Bridge, so they’re driving to city day-after-day which is an inconvenience for certain, doing that since September.”
At the moment, the Eliyahu Wellness Centre Canada Video games Place is being ready to host two occasions in the course of the 2023 Canada Winter Video games. Whereas the world was final set to open close to the center of December, delays in getting the Olympic-sized ice in has left the doorways closed.
SaltWire Community contacted workers with Canada Video games. In an e-mail, a spokesperson mentioned the world has began making ice as of Jan. 17, and the timing system for brief observe pace skating in addition to the in-ice logos and markings had been additionally being put in all through the week.
The spokesperson mentioned Canada Video games is anticipating an official opening of the world in the beginning of February. It’ll host quick observe pace skating in week one of many video games, and determine skating in week two.
Whereas the academy waits for the inexperienced mild to maneuver in, MacDougall mentioned they’ve already begun organising lecture rooms in preparation for the transfer. Nonetheless, he mentioned what isn’t clear is whether or not the transfer shall be affected by the video games.
“I don’t understand how that can affect us. I’m nonetheless ready for the ultimate phrase when it comes to once we can occupy the area,” he mentioned. “I believe greatest case state of affairs, we’d be capable to get in a pair weeks earlier than Canada Video games. Worst case at this level, we should wait till the video games are over.”
Regardless of the uncertainty, MacDougall stays cautiously optimistic, but additionally excited, about with the ability to make the transfer into the power.
“I do assume there’s a concerted effort to have that facility prepared for Canada Video games, so I believe that can assist us with the ability to occupy it,” he mentioned.
Cody McEachern is a enterprise reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He might be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @CodyInHiFi.
