School District 43 will advance funds for the design of a second elementary school for Burke Mountain in Coquitlam despite concerns from some trustees that the project hasn’t received provincial approval.
At $17.9 million, Sheffield elementary was at the top of the district’s capital plan submitted to the province last fall but concerns about the influx of young children in the new neighbourhood — and the fallout from a recent class size decision from the Supreme Court of Canada — has made it even more urgent.
Officials told trustees that advancing funds for preliminary design would be manageable, at about $60,000, and with work in such an early stage, could be withdrawn if necessary. Holding back on design work would set the project back a year while fast-tracking it could have it ready by 2020 or 2021, should it receive provincial government support.
“Staff is very concerned about our ability to meet demand in that one,” said Ivano Cecchini, assistant secretary-treasurer of facilities and planning services.
Coquitlam Trustee Barb Hobson pointed out the money is in reserve for capital and “won’t impact our current operations,” and other trustees supported advancing the funds.
But two trustees expressed reservations, arguing that the current provincial government is still in flux, money for classroom conversions for September enrolment is being held back, and it could be a while before any money for new schools is available.
“I’m nervous,” said Coquitlam Trustee Diane Sowden, “I’m anxious to vote on this as a ‘Yes.’”
Port Moody Trustee Keith Watkins echoed those concerns, saying he understands the need for fast-tracking the school but “there are a lot of question marks in the next two to three months.”
Other trustees acknowledged the risk but pointed out that the district is usually successful in appealing for school construction funds after it puts some of its own money into the pot.
Judy Shirra, a Port Coquitlam trustee, said enrolment issues on Burke Mountain are causing problems down the mountain into PoCo, a domino effect created by the lack of school space.
“We know the students are up there, we know the time it takes to build a school,” she said, as she and the majority of trustees voted in favour of advancing the preliminary design funds for Sheffield elementary.
The planned Sheffield (Partington Creek) elementary will hold about 400 students and be located in a newly developed area to the east of Smiling Creek elementary, currently under construction and slated to open in 2018.
