Generations of students have walked through the doors of this Summerside school. Now, it's set to be replaced

The kids on this bus are off to class at Parkside Elementary in Summerside, but the school is set to close. The province put aside $80 million in its latest capital budget for a replacement. We have mixed emotions. We do really like our school. We love all the staff here, but at the same time, the school really does need major repairs. There's heating issues. I know there is some leaking in some places, so it does make sense that there would be a new school. It's still fine in there. It's just dated is all, and I'm assuming it'd be hard to kind of keep that up after so many years, I guess. Whoa! Parkside currently has students from kindergarten to grade 6 in both English and French immersion. A study in 2025 recommended building the new school and closing Parkside. It also said there were significant ongoing challenges with air quality, heating and general maintenance. PEI's education minister said after he toured the school, he knew it was time. I also seen, you know, the inadequate bathroom facilities. I seen the windows that were leaking. Thank you very much for your thinking. You know, just a school that's not built for, you know, 2026. The Department of Education says the new school will be for kindergarten to grade 9 and will hold 750 students. And children may eventually do some shuffling. For example, Parkside students may go to Athena Consolidated and Athena students to the new school. Details are still being worked out, and so is the final location. Construction is set to start in 2028 or 2029. Connor Lamont, CBC News, Summerside.