Breaking Ground in West Brant to Meet Needs of Growing Community

Brantford, Ont. - Some of the youngest residents of West Brant sunk shovels into the ground today to officially kick off construction on a joint-use project between Grand Erie District School Board, the City of Brantford and the Brantford Public Library at a site which will include an elementary school, recreation centre, public library and other amenities to serve the growing community. The space will also include a 24-acre park, sports fields, meeting spaces and walking paths. 

The groundbreaking event, held at the corner of Shellard Lane and Strickland Ave, included an Indigenous opening and closing address, remarks from staff members representing each partnering organization, Milan Novakovic on behalf of MPP Will Bouma, and members of Brantford City Council including Mayor Kevin Davis, Councillor Rose Sicoli, Councillor Michael Sullivan, Councillor Mandy Samwell and Councillor Gino Caputo. 

The project represents a total investment of $67,079,386, with more than $33 million provided through Capital Priorities, Child Care Capital and Land Priorities funding through the Ministry of Education. The new school will accommodate 650 students in 23 classrooms and four Kindergarten rooms, and includes a four-room, 64-space child-care centre within the 108,000-square-foot building. The school is expected to open its doors in September 2026, and will alleviate population pressures on neighbouring Edith Monture, Agnes G. Hodge and Walter Gretzky elementary schools. The new library branch will serve the school as well as the community at large, and includes 13,500 square feet with programming space, study rooms and an outdoor reading terrace. Construction begins next month. 

Quotes:  

"Breaking ground on a new school and community hub marks an exciting start to what will be a multi-faceted space to learn, grow and be inspired. Thanks to funding from the Ministry of Education and this partnership with the City of Brantford and the Brantford Public Library, we're laying the foundation for a community asset that will serve generations to come." Susan Gibson, Chair, Grand Erie District School Board 

"This project has been a partnership in the truest sense of the word, and thanks to a lot of cooperation and collaboration, we're achieving something greater than the sum of its parts. Our thanks to the community partners and the Ministry of Education for sharing in this collective vision of what's possible." JoAnna Roberto, Director of Education, Grand Erie District School Board

"I am very excited that the new Southwest Community Centre and Park, including Brantford's first regulation size Cricket Field, along with a much-needed day care centre, will greatly enhance quality of life for residents in the rapidly growing west end of the city. I am grateful to our partners for their collaboration on this important joint initiative, that will ultimately provide essential spaces for residents to learn, connect, celebrate culture and stay active.” Kevin Davis, Mayor of Brantford

“The expansion of library services into West Brant is a long-standing goal of the Library Board. Convenient access to the library means more opportunities for literacy and learning activities, discovery, and connecting, for residents of all ages.” Marion McGeein, Chair, Brantford Public Library 

“Partnerships are essential to the work that we do at the Brantford Public Library, so this project is especially exciting for us. Through this shared facility, we’re experiencing partnership in a new way, to the benefit of each partner and the community members who will be using our spaces.” Rae-Lynne Aramburo, CEO/Chief Librarian, Brantford Public Library  

-30-

Contacts:  

Grand Erie District School Board
Communications & Community Relations
gedsb-communications@granderie.ca
349 Erie Avenue, Brantford, Ontario, N3T 5V3
granderie.ca

Brantford Public Library

Info@brantfordlibrary.ca
173 Colborne Street, Brantford, Ontario, N3T 2G8
brantfordlibrary.ca

City of Brantford 
Communications and Community Engagement 
communications@brantford.ca
58 Dalhousie St., Brantford, Ontario, N3T 2J2
brantford.ca