B.C. injects nearly $64 million into Surrey school district
A new elementary school and additions to two others are coming to Surrey by the end of 2020 to alleviate overcrowding in the fast-growing school district.
On Monday, Premier John Horgan announced Surrey students would get nearly $64 million to build a new school, build additions to two existing schools and buy land for a future elementary school.
“Surrey students and their families have been waiting too long for new classrooms for their growing school district. The wait is over. We’re getting it done,” said Horgan.
“We are delivering the safe and comfortable schools kids in Surrey deserve.”
The B.C. NDP had campaigned to eliminate portables in Surrey, which currently has 325 portables serving about 7,000 students. The district sees an influx of about 1,000 students annually.
The funds will be put toward three projects and a land purchase in a bid to reduce the need for portables in the community.
A new $24.3 million, two-storey elementary school will be built in the Douglas area of South Surrey beside Dufferin Park. Once completed in December 2020, the school will accommodate 605 students and include a neighbourhood learning centre with two child-care rooms and project, media and technology spaces.
The school will take in overflow enrolment from Hall’s Prairie Elementary, Pacific Heights Elementary and South Meridian Elementary, which have a total of 15 portables in use.
Two other Surrey elementary schools will be expanded to accommodate 250 more students.
Frost Road Elementary will receive $5.6 million to replace four portables with six classrooms.
Those classrooms will accommodate 150 additional students.
Coyote Creek Elementary will receive $4.9 million to replace two portables with four classrooms, allowing for 100 additional students.
Construction for both additions will begin in April 2019 and wrap in June 2020.
The new school and additions will create 855 new spaces for students in kindergarten up to Grade 7. Pacific Heights Elementary also had a 300-seat addition approved last December.
The remaining $28.9 million will go toward a land purchase at the southeast corner of 20th Avenue and 165th Street for a future elementary school, which would take in students from the growing South West Grandview Heights area, relieving stresses on nearby Sunnyside Elementary. The Surrey school district will contribute $1.4 million toward the site purchase.
“We have been working hard to accelerate the approval of capital and seismic projects throughout B.C.,” said Education Minister Rob Fleming in a statement.
The Surrey Board of Education welcomed the announcement.
“Our board has been pushing hard and working closely with Minister Fleming to obtain funding for new school spaces for our students, so it is wonderful to see the government making these investments,” said chair Laurie Larsen.