A glimmer of hope is on the horizon for Chilliwack’s over-capacity school system.
School board chair Dan Coulter announced this week that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has requested business plans for four new capital projects. While details are still light, Coulter listed off those four potential projects at the end of the March 12 school board meeting.
They are a new Chilliwack elementary site, an addition to GW Graham secondary school, the renovation and gym expansion for the new school slated for the old UFV site, and an addition to Vedder elementary.
This is a very preliminary step in the funding process between the MoE and the school district. Coulter, board chair, underlined that the MoE request does not equal approval, but it does indicate that they are supportive of them.
There are a number of projects underway or just completing in Chilliwack to alleviate the over crowding experienced at some schools here. There is the elementary/middle school underway in Vedder, and the recent purchase of the old UFV North theatre and surrounding buildings. The board also recently approved the purchase of five new portables, bringing the district’s total to 99 portables in use.
The school district currently has the highest ratio of students to portables in the province.
RELATED STORY: Number of portables in Chilliwack to push 100
@CHWKcommunity
jpeters@theprogress.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.