Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary School is on track to become an almost-new building, after School District 40 learned it will get the money to finish exterior upgrades.
The Ministry of Education announced funding Tuesday for minor capital projects in school districts around B.C. for 2022/23 – including $2.2 million for the New Westminster school district.
That amount includes money under B.C.’s school enhancement program for exterior wall upgrades at the West End school.
The project topped the school district’s wish list in its minor capital planning requests sent to the province in the fall. It asked for $1.7 million for the Tweedsmuir upgrades to cover the second phase of work that started last summer, replacing all windows and siding following a seismic upgrade that was completed in 2019.
“Lord Tweedsmuir will effectively be a brand-new school,” secretary-treasurer Bettina Ketcham said at the time.
HVAC upgrade at Glenbrook Middle School helps district's climate action plans
With Tuesday’s announcement, SD40 also received money under the province’s carbon-neutral capital program for HVAC upgrades at École Glenbrook Middle School.
The district had asked for funding to install air source heat pumps at five sites, at a cost of $500,000 apiece. Glenbrook was its top priority for that work.
The heat pumps rely on electricity rather than gas and are designed to reduce the district’s greenhouse gas emissions – one of the goals in the district’s climate action plan.
Also on the district’s request list, but not receiving funding this time out, were Queen Elizabeth Elementary, Herbert Spencer Elementary, F.W. Howay Elementary and Lord Kelvin Elementary.
"We're investing in better learning environments for students with more energy-efficient, comfortable and healthy buildings that will reduce pollution and help fight climate change," said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, in a press release. "Through CleanBC, we're building a cleaner, better B.C. for young people’s future by reducing emissions in schools while creating new opportunities in a net-zero emissions future."
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca.
