Several new school buildings are in the planning or construction stages, recently opened or are about to open in School District 43 and the public will get to visit them or have a say in their planning.
Here is what’s coming up in the next few months.
NEW AND PLANNED
Curious about the new Centennial high school? On Thursday, May 31 from 2-6 p.m., Centennial will be hosting an open house to celebrate its new building with formalities taking place between 4-5 p.m.
Open since last September, the school for 1,400 students features natural lighting, wood details, a large open foyer/cafeteria, a state-of-the-art science lab, a teaching kitchen, a 234-seat theatre and high speed internet.
Also coming up this May, the district is holding an information session for people interested in plans for a new Education Learning Centre to be built next to Winslow Centre, 1100 Winslow Ave. in Coquitlam. The event is slated for 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, May 30 and the community is invited to look at ideas for siting the building and have input on how high it should be.
“We’re working with the architects to come up with different ideas,” said Ivano Cecchini, the district’s assistant secretary treasurer for facilities and planning services.
The project is expect to cost about $30 million, and will replace current board offices and provide space for meetings and professional development.
And for those in the Irvine elementary school catchment, the district is planning an open house on Wednesday, May 23 from 6-7:30 p.m., for the community to view design ideas for the $19 million seismic replacement school.
LACROSSE BACK
Do you love box lacrosse?
In June, Minnekhada middle school students will welcome the addition of a rebuilt lacrosse box next to their school.
On Thursday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to noon, a celebration will be held for the box that had to be relocated to make way for construction of the new $31 million Minnekhada middle.
Excavation is under way for the new school, slated to open in the fall of 2020.
There was some worry that the lacrosse box wouldn’t be replaced, or would have to wait for new construction, but an agreement with the city of Port Coquitlam on cost sharing and the importance of the facility prompted both sides to get the project in place.
'Initially it was a partnership between the city and the school district — the reality is it’s a school district amenity and we knew it was an important amenity, so we worked hard to get it set up,” said Cecchini.
SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
Anticipation is building for the move in date for students attending Moody middle school in Port Moody.
Cecchini confirmed that a few more details need to be finished before the approximately $25 million new seismic-replacement building can be occupied in the coming weeks.
“I would say were about 85 to 90% done. A lot of people are really excited for that (move in) to happen,” Cecchini said.
The official opening for the new school of the arts is set for Monday, June 18 from 6-9 p.m.
Also in June, there will be a reunion and open house for Banting middle school on Thursday, June 21 from 4-7 p.m., in anticipation of the old school being knocked down and the new school opening in the fall.
Glen elementary will also have an event celebrating its new classroom addition on June 22 from 10 a.m.to noon.
An opening event is also planned for the new Smiling Creek elementary school on Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 6-9 p.m.
The first elementary school for Burke Mountain in Coquitlam will include a community centre and will be ready for classes in September.
Meanwhile, SD43 has almost completed a project definition report for Sheffield elementary, which is necessary to obtain funding for a second elementary school for the area.
All the new schools are built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold standard and have prioritized energy efficiency, Cecchini said.
