Schools in the Powell River area will be safer and more efficient due to $735,000 in provincial funding for upgrade projects in School District 47, according to Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons.
“Students and families in Powell River can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their schools will receive important improvements as a result of this funding,” stated Simons in a media release on Wednesday, March 6. “We know that safe and comfortable learning environments are integral to the strength of our communities. After years of underfunding, this government is making the health and safety of our students a top priority.”
School District 47, which includes all of the public schools in the Powell River region, will be receiving the full funding amount.
The school district’s annual planning cycle includes application for capital improvements and, according to Powell River Board of School Trustees chair Aaron Reid, SD47 received what it had asked for and expected from the province under the minor capital program.
“This funding is in addition to our annual program of approximately half a million dollars, which we are funded each year to use at our discretion for smaller projects,” said Reid.
The grant will go toward capital projects.
“It is part of our ongoing maintenance and capital planning process and will allow School District 47 to continue to maintain and upgrade our facilities to ensure our schools are safe and well-maintained for our students, staff and community,” she added.
The money will be used for school maintenance projects, including cladding upgrades at James Thomson Elementary School, dust collection system upgrades at Brooks Secondary School, and mechanical system upgrades at Oceanview Education Centre.
In addition, the Outdoor Learning Centre will see a solar capacity increase through the Carbon Neutral Capital Program.
According to the media release, since September 2017 the provincial government has approved more than $1.7 million for school upgrades in the district, including $600,000 for a roof replacement at Oceanview.
