Nova ScotiaThe province announced a new school for the town of Trenton in June 2023. Some residents, however, say they haven’t heard much about the project since the announcement. ‘Here we are, 2½ years later, and we really don’t even have an official site,’ says former teacherDanielle Edwards · CBC News · Posted: Oct 25, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesPat Dunn, then the MLA for Pictou Centre, in June 2023 announced a new school for Trenton to house students from pre-primary to Grade 8. (Communications Nova Scotia)Community members in Trenton, N.S., say they are frustrated by a lack of communication about a new school slated to open in September 2027.Pat Dunn, who was the MLA for Pictou Centre, announced in June 2023 the project to replace Trenton Elementary and Trenton Middle School and house about 280 students from pre-primary to Grade 8.Some residents, however, say they have not heard much about the project since that announcement more than two years ago.“The provincial government … said the new school is expected to open in September of 2027. And here we are, 2½ years later, and we really don’t even have an official site,” Scott Cameron said in an interview with Information Morning Nova Scotia.Cameron taught at Trenton Elementary for seven years before retiring in June. He said he also has six grandchildren in Trenton schools.The news of the new school was met with great fanfare, said Cameron, who was there for Dunn’s announcement.“The roof nearly came off the gym with the kids and there was quite a few citizens there as well,” he said. “The mood was just ecstatic that finally, finally we’re going to get a school that the children deserve.”Both Trenton Elementary and Trenton Middle School are in dire need of repair, Cameron said, with black mould and leaks being among the issues students have to deal with.“The conditions are just getting worse,” he said. “It’s been going on for years.”The elementary school was built in 1966, while the middle school was built in 1925 and had additions in 1953, 1967 and 1985. Trenton Elementary still has its original fixtures, including the plumbing, and the air ventilation system hasn’t been operational in 15 to 20 years, Cameron said.Staff and students have reported respiratory and sinus problems, he said.Education Department respondsCBC News reached out to the Education Department for an interview. Officials declined, but a statement attributed to Education Minister Brendan Maguire said the province is still committed to building a new school in Trenton. It did not say when the school would open.The statement said the province is selecting a site for the school and will move on to the design phase once that process is complete.When a school needs immediate repairs, the regional centre for education works with the province to get that done, it said, pointing to a roof replacement at Trenton Middle School in 2023.In Cameron’s estimation, the repair work simply isn’t enough.“Our students are being overlooked,” he said. “We are the only town in our county that does not have good schools for our children.”MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORDanielle Edwards is a reporter with CBC Nova Scotia. She has previously worked at The Canadian Press in Halifax and the Globe and Mail in Toronto covering a variety of topics. You can reach her at danielle.edwards@cbc.caWith files from Information Morning Nova Scotia
Trenton residents concerned about progress on new school
