As part of the Manitoba government’s $53.7-million investment into 110 public school infrastructure renewal projects across the province, a number of facilities in the Portage la Prairie area will get funding.

According to Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart, in the Portage la Prairie School Division, Ecole Arthur Meighen School is receiving more than $500,000 for a new boiler, over $200,000 goes towards ongoing structural work at Portage Collegiate Institute and upwards of $100,000 will be spent on a new grooming room — to help students with disabilities — at Ecole Crescentview School.

In the Pine Creek School Division, about $250,000 is being spent on a new roof and wall repairs for Gladstone Elementary School.

“Those are the types of things we’re investing in,” Wishart notes. “It’s never fun and sexy to build roofs and boilers, but it’s what you’ve go to do if you want to have a good, safe school to teach in.”

According to an Aug. 25 release from the province, of the $53.7-million the province plans to invest, $14.3-million is earmarked for roof replacements, $15.6-million for mechanical systems replacements, $13.7-million for structural upgrades and $10.1-million for access projects. In all, the province will provide $92.4 million in planned capital spending in 2017-18 for public school infrastructure projects throughout the province.

Municipal Relations Minister Jeff Wharton noted in a release the projects will be completed within a time-frame of six to 24 months following the award of tenders and start of construction.