When it comes to plans for installing a chicken coop at Canmore Collegiate High School, officials have shown they aren’t just winging it.
CCHS vice-principal Hans Holthius and Alpenglow Grades 5-6 teacher Graeme Ford were in front of Canmore council this week to present poultry plans before a bylaw amendment comes forward in June.
Between the high school food program, the Alpenglow program which runs out of CCHS, and Alpine Edibles’ garden on the rooftop – the proposal to expand what is currently being done to connect students with their food through developing a chicken coop has come forward.
“The reason we are looking at this is there are educational links through all grades,” Ford said. “We are highlighting the importance of why students need to know where their food comes from.”
But in order to establish a chicken coop at the high school, council needs to approve an amendment to its Animal Control Bylaw, which will be on the agenda in June.
Holthius said with connections to the school curriculum and partnering with an already successful rooftop garden managed by Alpine Edibles, the proposal is to establish a pilot program for 12 months in a fully enclosed wildlife-secure enclosure.
Ford told council the schools have engaged with Alberta Health Services, Alberta Parks, the municipality and Bow Valley Wildsmart and all groups currently support the proposal.
The proposal is to put the chicken coop and a chicken run in the atrium at the school and keep 12 hens within it. The atrium is actually sunk within the school building, said Holthius, and would have a double-door enclosure to enter the coop, as well as chicken wire or netting at the top of the atrium to prevent any fowl play by aerial predators.
“It would take some work for an animal to get down into that location as the barriers we have proposed prevent that,” he said, adding “it would be a great escape for a chicken to get into the atrium itself.”
Mitigations have been developed for proper drainage, prevention of disease, odour and pets, as well as food safety. Holthius said eggs the hens produce will be distributed through a subscription program within the school community.
