Budget for new school rises
The Ministry of Education has approved dipping into reserve funds to the tune of $1.1 million for the building of a new elementary school in New Westminster on the former St. Mary’s Hospital site.
The extra money is to cover expected costs incurred because the site has turned out to be more challenging than the district outlined in its request for design/build proposals, said board chair James Janzen.
The three companies shortlisted to be the design/build contractor “expressed concerns about the difficult site conditions,” said an Oct. 3 update from the district.
“As we continued to do work on the site it just became apparent it was a more difficult site than we had envisioned,” said Janzen. “The joys of building in New Westminster.”
The $1.1 million will be added to the $13.5 million budget for the project announced in April.
It is expected to have 23 classrooms for 500 students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 5.
The submissions from Bouygues Building Canada of Vancouver, DGS Construction from Surrey and Yellowridge Design Build of Port Moody are due on Oct. 11. Construction is expected to begin early in 2013 with a projected occupancy date of September 2014.
The district has also invited suggestions from the public on naming the new school as well as the middle school to be built on the site of the current John Robson elementary after the St. Mary’s one is complete.
Suggestions can be submitted by Oct. 31 via email to communityconsultation@sd40.bc.ca, fax to 604-517-6390 or mailed to the district.
A committee of trustees, administrators, staff and parents from the west side elementary schools will make their recommendations on the names to the board of education.
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