A moment many people in New Westminster have been waiting for is finally here.
Starting Monday, the district will kick off consultations for the New Westminster Secondary School replacement project.
From Nov. 7 to Dec. 5, residents will be able to have their say on the new high school and learn more about the project. As part of the process, the school district has planned two open houses. Both are drop-in, and no pre-registration is required.
There are also two small group meetings planned for the month of November. To participate in these meetings, folks need to register ahead of time as space is limited. These meetings are expected to last about two hours.
Those who can’t make it to either events can provide feedback through a new website the district will unveil on Monday. There people can download materials related to the project, including a discussion guide and feedback form. People can also send written submissions by mail or call the district directly.
New Westminster’s much anticipated high school replacement project was approved for funding by the provincial government in June. The $106.5 million project is expected to be complete by fall 2019 and will house more than 1,900 Grade 9 to 12 students.
The community has been calling for a new high school for decades, but because the existing school, which is really two schools, was built on the site of the Douglas Road Cemetery, which operated from 1860 to 1920, things have moved very slowly. Part of the reason is the complex nature of the site, which contains two protected areas – one has an official cemetery designation and a second is protected under the Heritage Conservation Act.
The parcels of land designated as a cemetery are well documented and have been identified with clear boundaries. The conservation area, meanwhile, does not meet the strict criteria needed to be designated a cemetery site. Under the Heritage Conservation Act, the district must ensure that any burial grounds within the conservation area remain untouched.
The school district and the province have both committed to ensuring no part of the new high school is built on any known burial grounds and that construction will take place outside of the protected areas. Part of the replacement project will also include a memorial to those buried at the former Douglas Road Cemetery.
Want to participate in the consultation process?
Go to an open house:
Tuesday, Nov. 15
What time? 5 to 8 p.m.
Where? New Westminster Secondary School, Pearson cafeteria, 835 Eighth St.
Saturday, Nov. 19
What time? 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where? Fraser River Middle School, gymnasium, 800 Queens Ave.
No registration needed.
Sign up for one of the small group meetings:
Tuesday, Nov. 15
What time? 1 to 3 p.m.
Where? New Westminster school board office, 811 Ontario St.
Wednesday, Nov. 23
What time? 6 to 8 p.m.
Where? New Westminster Secondary School, library, 835 Eighth St.
To sign up, email [email protected] or call 778-379-3310
Contact the district directly:
By mail:
Attn: NWSS Replacement Project
811 Ontario Street
New Westminster, B.C.
V3M 0J7
By phone: 778-379-3310
By email: [email protected]
To download a discussion guide or feedback form, or for more information on the project go to newnwss.com (available on Nov. 7).
