Official Opening for Rankin School of the Narrows

A lone piper led the way as students in Iona, Victoria Co., cut the ribbon on their new environmentally friendly, energy-efficient school.

Education Minister Karen Casey joined Darlene Morrison, chair of the Cape Breton-Victoria School Board, students, staff and elected officials today, Oct. 2, to formally open the new Rankin School of the Narrows in Iona.

About 130 students from Primary to Grade 12 attend the $8-million school.

"I want to acknowledge the community and the school board for making great efforts to provide students with a healthy and modern learning environment," said Ms. Casey. "This new school is not just an investment in Iona's students, it is an investment in the Iona community."

The school, approved for construction in 2003, was designed by the architectural firm of Fowler, Bauld and Mitchell, and was built by Joneljim Construction.

The building design will also earn the school an environmental award. It will be the first school in Nova Scotia to earn a Leadership Environmental Energy Design -- or LEED -- certification for its environmentally friendly construction and energy efficient features. The accreditation process should be complete this fall.

The Rankin School of the Narrows is part of the government's multi-year, $400-million school construction plan.