Barrie Construction News staff writer
Construction has begun on Wasaga Beach’s first high school and community hub, a project municipal officials say will transform access to education in Ontario’s largest municipality without a secondary school.
Officials gathered at 486 River Rd. W. for a groundbreaking ceremony on the $70.1-million project, which will include a K-12 school with space for 1,008 students, 49 licensed childcare spaces, a 300-seat community theatre, track-and-field facilities and shared learning spaces.
The development will also provide post-secondary and continuing education opportunities through partnerships with Canadore College and Lakehead University.
The project is funded through $67.3 million from the provincial government and a $2.8-million contribution from the Town of Wasaga Beach for enhancements to the community theatre. It was also supported by a land donation from Far Sight Homes.
Town officials said the project was designed to make use of existing municipal infrastructure by locating the school beside the Wasaga Stars Arena and Wasaga Beach Public Library, creating a shared community campus.
“This project is about making the smartest possible use of public infrastructure,” chief administrative officer Andrew McNeill said. “By integrating the school with existing municipal facilities and shared community amenities, we are maximizing value for taxpayers, reducing duplication, and ensuring public spaces are used to their fullest potential.
“It is a creative, forward-looking model for how fast-growing communities can deliver essential services sooner.”
Construction is expected to continue through 2028, with the school and community hub scheduled to open in September of that year.
The project follows years of advocacy by the town to bring a high school to Wasaga Beach. In 2023, council directed staff to work with the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board to develop a proposal after previous efforts to secure a secondary school failed to gain traction.
The province announced funding for the project in May 2024.
The school and community hub will include shared amenities for residents, including the theatre, athletic facilities, childcare space and flexible learning environments.
The town said a second high school is also planned. In January 2025, the province announced more than $59.3 million for a Simcoe County District School Board secondary school that will create 1,145 additional student spaces.
“This new School and Community Hub demonstrates what is possible when partners come together to deliver for our community,” said Far Sight Homes partner Bob Schickedanz. “Far Sight is proud to be part of this community, and our land donation reflects our long-term commitment to Wasaga Beach families and future generations.”