Construction of a new multi-purpose sports field will begin later this month where the former Jasper Junior/Senior High School was once located.
Commonly referred to as the 鈥渆xchange lands鈥� the land has sat idle with a temporary fence around it since 2014 when the original school was torn down.
鈥淭he new multi-purpose green space will accommodate community needs now and in the future, providing exceptional recreation and leisure opportunities in the heart of town,鈥� said Mayor Richard Ireland, in a press release.
The mayor officially announced the tender for the project was awarded to Jasper Concrete during his state of the municipality address, May 10.
鈥淭he design includes a multi-purpose sports pitch to provide an alternative for our busy Centennial Park facilities, and will also feature basic amenities to support a variety of community events and gatherings.鈥�
According to the press release, the project will be completed by the end of this summer so sports teams have somewhere to play when Centennial Field is resurfaced next summer.
The history of the project dates back nearly five years.
In May 2011, the municipality and the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division (GYPSD) entered into a memorandum of understanding to exchange two parcels of land so the school division could build a new school.
The memorandum of understanding included swapping the town鈥檚 former Bowling Green, located on the corner of Bonhomme Street and Elm Avenue, for the parcel of land where the old school once stood with the condition the land would eventually become open recreational space and GYPSD would pay for the project.
In June of 2011, the community voted in favour of the land swap setting in motion the construction of the new joint school facility and the demolition of the old building.
The new school officially opened its doors in September 2014 and the old building was demolished a few months later.
The new multi-purpose sports field will be more suitable for events that require vehicles, such as the Dark Sky Festival and the Jasper Folk Music Festival. When Centennial Field is reopened it will strictly be for sports.
鈥淭he current plans in place to restore the exchanged land will greatly compliment the needs of the community and we are pleased to see this project moving forward for the benefit of all,鈥� wrote Betsy DeClercq, the local GYPSD trustee in a press release.
Paul Clarke
[email protected]
