SURREY, BC – The Surrey Schools Coalition was present at today’s Surrey education announcement by the BC Government. As a unique and innovative coalition of business, parents, homebuilders and developers, the Surrey Schools Coalition heard new school project announcements by the BC Government.
As of September 2017, the Surrey School District has 70,736 students in K-12, which continues the annual trend of having the highest student enrolment in British Columbia.
“We are very pleased to see that these three projects, combined, add up to 855 new K-7 spaces in Surrey,” said Anita Huberman, CEO Surrey Board of Trade.
A new elementary school, two additions to existing schools and the land needed to build another school, will help ease overcrowding and improve classroom conditions for students in Surrey, Premier John Horgan announced today.
The Ministry of Education is investing almost $64 million to:
build a new elementary school in the Douglas area of South Surrey
expand Frost Road Elementary and Coyote Creek Elementary schools in Fleetwood
buy land for a future elementary school in Grandview Heights
The Surrey Schools Coalition still wants to hear some good news on their immediate ask of $217 million to the Surrey School Board (as announced by the previous BC government) and reiterated by the current government’s September budget update.
In addition, the Coalition wants a special ‘growth fund’ of $4.2 Million to pay for portables. The BC Government is being asked to fully commit and fund $250M to $350M of capital projects in the next 3 years and fund new schools without district contribution. Education, both quality curriculum and quality surroundings, are needed for our students to be leaders locally and globally through career and entrepreneur pathways.
“Also, the long-term ask is a new funding formula for high-growth areas to ensure that other cities do not face this situation in the future,” said Huberman.
The Surrey School Coalition’s premise is that the construction of new schools in high growth areas benefit students in Surrey, contributes to healthy communities, and enables economic growth through development.
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Quick Facts about today’s announcement:
The new $24.3-million, two-storey elementary school will be built beside Dufferin Park, and will accommodate 605 students. It will have a Neighbourhood Learning Centre (NLC) with two child-care rooms, as well as project, media and technology spaces and outdoor washrooms. This school will help relieve enrolment pressure at nearby Hall’s Prairie Elementary, Pacific Heights Elementary and South Meridian Elementary. Construction is expected to start in March 2019 and be complete by December 2020.
The $5.6-million addition at Frost Road Elementary school will create six classrooms, with space for 150 more students. Four portables currently at the school will be removed at the end of construction.
Coyote Creek Elementary school’s $4.9-million expansion will add four classrooms, creating 100 new spaces for students. Two portables will be removed once the project is complete. Construction at both Coyote Creek and Frost Road is expected to begin in April 2019, with completion anticipated in June 2020.
The Province is also investing $28.9 million to purchase land for a future elementary school, at the southeast corner of 20th Avenue and 165th Street. The school will be needed to accommodate the growing number of students in the South West Grandview Heights area, and will relieve pressure at the existing Sunnyside Elementary. The Surrey School District is contributing $1.4 million toward the site purchase.
Including today’s announcement, government has invested $107 million for two new elementary schools, three additions, two seismic upgrades and a site acquisition since September 2017. These include a new $24-million, 655-seat elementary school in Grandview Heights, and a $9-million, 300-seat expansion at Pacific Heights Elementary School.
