Nearly three years after fire destroyed the school in Milltown-Bay d’Espoir, a contract has been awarded to build a new school – in St. Alban’s.

Students have been accommodated in the old school building in St. Alban’s since an arsonist went on a rampage in January of 2017, setting fire to the school, town council office and RCMP Building in Milltown-Bay d’Espoir.

Not everyone is pleased with the plans, with some arguing the new school should go back on the site of the destroyed building, but St. Alban’s mayor Gail Hoskins is applauding the move. She says it has taken a long time but she hopes to see the school go up quickly.

She says the new school will have resources the old school did not.

There will be new classroom resources, a trades room, a library, a home economics room and a gymnasium.

The new school is expected to be completed in 2021.