Calgary Council Rejects Charter School in Industrial Park

0:00Calgary City Council just shot down a plan to build a K-12 charter school and an industrial park up in the Northeast. The Rocky Mountain Charter School Foundation wanted to re-zone an 11-acre spot near Ten Street and 68 Avenue, aiming for 700. 50 students focused on health, wellness, sustainable farming, and global tech. But counselors voted 12-to-2 against it, killing the idea flat out. The site's smack-and-deer-foot city business park, right by the airport and surrounded by heavy industry-like glass plants, ambulance training spots, heavy equipment yards, and even a police firearms range. No sidewalks are safe pass for kids either, which raised the big red flags from the jump. Counselors weren't holding back, calling it the worst spot in the city for school, and straight up begging for problems. The mayor pushed for places near homes, parks, and transit instead. The probation rep, Nasir Kodry stressed a heartbreak, saying they got no spot lined up for September 2026, leaving those kids in limbo.

1:02Even with conditional okay from Alberta education, the province warned about zoning risks upfront and funding waits on approvals. City planners worried it'd eat into prime industrial land needed for warehouses and jobs. Only two counselors backed it, hoping issues could sort out later in permits. His whole mess spotlights the scramble for charter school space and Calgary. Leaders are calling for a solid plan to tuck them near neighborhoods, not factories, so kids actually get a shot at spots that fit. That wraps Canada News Today, brought to you with AI. I'm Corey with The Story.