Students at Kelvin High School are getting a new,10,000-square-foot gym that will include new changing facilities and an access elevator.

"With a student population now over 1,200, we know how important it is to provide young people with quality learning spaces for students to succeed in school," Premier Greg Selinger said at the announcement on Monday.

"This new gym will help encourage students to get active and participate in sports while expanding the school's instructional space, which will allow for more programs to be offered to students."

Funding comes from the province's $50-million Active Schools Fund.

"Students, teachers, parents and other members of the Kelvin school community have been looking forward to this announcement for some time," said principal Jim Brown.

"This new gym will create more opportunities to get active and participate in sports, and that in turn will help to promote learning and ensure students learn the value of healthy lifestyle choices at an early age."

The school division will begin the design phase as soon as possible with construction anticipated to start next year and completion expected by December 2016.