An ambitious plan to expand Olds College beyond its borders has progressed with a $30 million commitment from the Alberta government.
The project is known as the community learning campus. Under it, the Chinook’s Edge School Division and the college plan to share resources.
Total funding for the project in Olds, Alta., is $47 million, with additional money to come from various community supporters through a specially created board of directors dedicated to fundraising.
Lyle Oberg, minister of infrastructure and transportation, announced June 23 the province will release a past commitment of $6.9 million for a new high school to be built on the campus grounds starting this year.
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Besides the school for students in Grades 9-12, the project will add a health and wellness facility, fine arts and multimedia centre on the 2,000 acre campus.
“This project, upon completion, will revolutionize the educational landscape in the province of Alberta,” said Oberg.
“The days where high school is three years and 100 credits are gone. The days where a student can go seamlessly onto college is the future.”
High school students will be able to use the college’s machinery, laboratories, computers and library, giving them a taste of college life.
Students in rural schools across the division will be able to join interactive computer-delivered programs for optional courses not offered at smaller schools. These classes will be part of the new multimedia complex.
Other program enhancements include creating a Canadian equine centre of innovation for advanced horse studies and a centre for horticulture. In addition, a chair has been created for the oil industry’s land agent program allowing an expansion from 40 to 70 students.
Also, a satellite campus has been developed through a partnership with the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. The college has had a partnership with the Stampede since 2001 offering courses and conferences on the exhibition grounds, said Dan Fullerton, dean of business development of the college.
As the Stampede grounds expand from 150 to 200 acres, there will be room to take the equivalent of about 150 students interested in more advanced outdoor horticulture work and water studies on the Elbow River that cuts through the park.
“We’re benefiting from each other’s assets,” he said.
Fullerton estimates the total project will take 48 months to complete.
