Lacombe Council recently approved a rezoning bylaw for the development of a new Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) High School on the campus of Burman University.
Liew Werner , director for project development and risk management for the Alberta Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, said the bylaw allows their group to begin planning the project which could be built in two years after potential final approvals come at the end of October.
“I think we are most excited for the opportunity to have a new school that is contemporary for the needs of the students and also the synergy that will be created by having the school on (Burman’s) campus, rather than having it off campus,” Werner said.
Currently Parkview Adventist Academy has 78 students, but Alberta Conference members are hoping the new facility would accommodate 120 students, along with facilities to add to their current online offerings. Werner said they could potentially offer a place for testing, administrative needs and recording classes for online.
The request for rezoning came after governance of Parkview Adventist Academy was handed over from Burman to the Alberta Conference, which has been happening for roughly two years.
Keith Richter, chief financial officer of the Alberta Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, said the change in governance allows Burman to focus solely on post-secondary and the conference to manage secondary education.
“We are working with Burman University on a transfer of ownership and assets, as well as certain funding for the school. In terms of building, because we are private, building will be solely our function,” Richter said.
Once final approvals come through, the Alberta Conference will consult with the community and city on traffic access to the new high school
“We will begin studies like the traffic and once we have those in place we will begin plans for the school and site preparation,” Richter said.
todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com
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