WINNIPEG -- A new school in the Sage Creek area could be coming in the near future.

The Louis Riel School Division has a letter of intent for a piece of land in the community and the plan is to have a new school built.

Christian Michalik, who is the superintendent for the school division, said the land now is in an area that is still under development.

"Before we make a final purchase, we have a letter of intent, we need to see that move along. The development move along, and it is moving along," said Michalik.

He said the property will be a minimum of six acres and it's located at Warde Avenue and the future Robert Bockstael Drive.

"That's the caveat there right. Robert Bockstael Drive isn't a finished roadway just yet. But the developer is hard at work and the development we're told is fast paced."

He said there is a good chance that either in 2021 or 2022 the land will be ready to start building the school.

WHY A NEW SCHOOL IS NEEDED?

Michalik said Sage Creek is a fast-growing community and the enrollment at the one school in the area is overpopulated.

"It was overpopulated when it opened its doors in September 2017 and that population just continues to grow."

Michalik added the school division predicts there are over 1,000 students between Kindergarten and Grade 8 that live in the area and would like to attend the current school—Sage Creek School.

"But of course, Sage Creek wasn't built to accommodate 1,000 students."

He said the school is currently a "dual track" school meaning it has both English and French students attending and then students in Grades 7 and 8 go to different schools depending on what language they are learning.

When the new school is built, it would be another K-8 school.

"The plan is to build two schools to accommodate 600 students (each)."

With a second school, Michalik said one would be a French school while the other would be English.

He was also asked what impact the new plans from the province would have on building the school.

The plan submitted by the provincial government would see 37 school boards be merged into 15 different regions and locally elected school boards would be eliminated.

Michalik said that is something that is still in the very early stages.

"(It) is one of the questions we will be asking as we journey forward into the future how that will all work."

In the meantime, Michalik said he is excited about the prospect of a new school and says it is needed for the area.