Partnerships produce series of exciting projects for Lethbridge School Division

Several exciting projects are taking shape throughout Lethbridge School Division, thanks to host of community, municipal and provincial partnerships.
Anyone who has driven around the Garry Station neighbourhood in west Lethbridge won’t be able to miss West Coulee Station Elementary School, a gleaming two-story structure that will open in September of 2025, with space for 600 students.
The Division’s first two-story elementary constructed since Westminster Elementary School was built in north Lethbridge, West Coulee will be home to the Spanish Bilingual program.
A grand staircase will showcase the school’s impressive architectural features, as students will benefit from a facility built to showcase bright, open spaces, along with a stunning view of the coulee landscape.
But that’s not the only positive news for west Lethbridge, as the Division also hopes to accelerate plans for another elementary school on that side of the river. Thanks to the Government of Alberta, planning funds are in place to address enrolment pressures on this side of the city with another new elementary school, this time in the south area of west Lethbridge.
These funds will support site readiness activities, as the Division and the City of Lethbridge seek a suitable piece of land for another new build. This new elementary school in the south area of west Lethbridge will serve an area which is projected to have the most significant population growth in the city.
“The City of Lethbridge is an instrumental partner in advocacy and ensuring we have the land needed to build schools to enrich our community,” said Lethbridge School Division Board Chair Christine Light.
A new westside high school is also high on the list of priorities, as the Division continues to advocate for a solution help alleviate enrollment pressures at Chinook High School and Lethbridge Collegiate Institute.
“We continue to work alongside the city as we develop a high school solution for the westside as currently, we are busing 500 students to the south side,” said Light. “MLA Nathan Neudorf has also been a strong advocate, highlighting the pressures and needs of our city and Division at the provincial level. We are grateful to Alberta Education for listening to, seeing and responding to these advocacy efforts.”
Speaking of LCI, the Division also has received pre-planning funding for modernization of that building. Pre-planning funding will allow the Division to determine what would be required for a modernization of the school.
There are significant challenges with a modernization project of a school the size of LCI, and this funding will assist the Division in examining the opportunities and constraints that exist.
This is a necessary first step to make the case to the Government of Alberta as to the need for a modernization at LCI. A consultant will be hired to work through this first step of the process, which will also include a community engagement opportunity.
And while this is taking place, work continues on the Division’s oldest school, the 113-year-old Galbraith Elementary School. One of the most recognizable schools in the city, Galbraith is set to receive a major facelift.
The pre-design phase has concluded and now, schematic design work is underway to determine exactly what a modernization of the grand old building could look like.
Once that work is complete, the Division will seek approval from the Government of Alberta to proceed to the construction phase.
“This is certainly an exciting time for development in Lethbridge School Division,” said Light. “Enrolment pressures have grown as the city has continued to grow and develop, creating incredible pressures on our facilities and the ability to utilize spaces in optimal ways for student learning. The fulfilment of these projects will also address accessibility needs within the schools and ensure all feel welcome and cared for as they enter our schools.”
Once construction begins at Galbraith, the school will receive an upsized gymnasium, thanks to financial support from The City of Lethbridge. West Coulee Station’s gym has also been upsized, thanks to the city, which has also chipped in to upsize gyms at Coalbanks Elementary School and Dr. Robert Plaxton Elementary School.
Contributions such as this from our local and provincial governments are key to helping the Division address its capital needs in a growing city such as Lethbridge.
And as the city grows, so does the need to provide our students with innovative programming that helps meet the employment needs of Lethbridge.
That’s where another project comes in, as Southland Trailers, along with a host of dedicated partners such as Neu-Lite Electric Inc, Top Notch Mechanical, 1st TechniCall Systems Inc, Litterbug Waste Disposal Service, Rite-Way Fencing Inc., Banditos Inc. and EECOL Electric, are teaming up with Winston Churchill High School to construct an instructional weld shop building.
The facility will feature state-of-the-art amenities, including seven welding booths, specialized areas for grinding and cutting and additional spaces to facilitate hands-on training.
Thanks to Southland, a project timeline that initially included a five-year plan was reduced to a single year, as the shop should be ready for Churchill students by Semester 1 of the 2025/2026 school year.
“Pathways exploration is a valuable part to a student’s journey in discovering their passions and abilities,” said Light. “Public education provides choice and equitable learning opportunities for this exploration to help allow students to find success in their learning and future. Southland Trailer’s partnership will not only allow more students access to this opportunity for growth, but it highlights the community spirit and collaborative approach needed to invest in students and guide our future community and business leaders to success.”