Education and Child Care
Students at Argyle Secondary school will have a seismically safe and state-of-the-art school thanks to a partnership between the B.C. government and the North Vancouver school district (SD 44).
Minister of Education Mike Bernier and MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour Jane Thornthwaite announced the $45.7 million investment today with district staff, teachers, students and parents.
(flickr.com) The Province is contributing $37.6 million toward the project as part of its award-winning Seismic Mitigation Program. The school district is contributing an additional $8.1 million to fund a full school replacement. The SD 44 school board took a proactive approach, selling surplus assets in the district to make these additional funds available.
The new school will be designed to meet today’s standards for safety, accessibility and modern learning. It will be built on the existing playing fields and will have the capacity to accommodate 1,200 grade 8 to 12 students. Once construction is complete, the students will move to the new school and the existing buildings will be demolished and turned into new playing fields.
Work is expected to start in 2017, with the new school slated to open in September 2019.
Government is able to make investments like the new Argyle Secondary school thanks to the Province’s fiscal discipline and strong economy. The project will also help ensure young people get a chance to learn the trades as it will be built under B.C.’s Apprentices on Public Projects Policy.
(flickr.com) Quotes:
Mike Bernier, Minister of Education –
“By working together, we are able to move this important safety project forward to protect and benefit students, teachers and staff in North Vancouver. The new Argyle Secondary will serve students, families and the community for generations to come.”
Jane Thornthwaite, MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour –
"I have been working with the Ministry of Education and the North Vancouver Board of Education for several years to bring this important project to fruition and am very pleased that the commitment from the school board to work with our government means we will now have a seismically safe, state-of-the-art facility that will benefit the Lynn Valley community and current and future students, parents and staff of the Argyle family of schools."
Christie Sacré, chairperson, North Vancouver Board of Education –
“We are very excited to be able to provide our students, staff and community a brand new secondary school, which will consist of a modern design that will support teaching and learning methods for the future. The North Vancouver Board of Education has worked hard for a long time to bring this project to fruition and we are elated that it upholds our school district’s vision for student-centred learning in the 21st century.”
Quick Facts:
- Argyle Secondary was originally built in 1960 with subsequent additions in 1966, 1969, and 2000.
- To date, seven seismic upgrades worth about $111.6 million have been completed in the North Vancouver School District. Windsor Secondary school is currently under construction for approximately $4.6 million.
- Over the next three years, B.C. will invest $1.7 billion to replace and renovate aging school buildings and add more student spaces in growing communities.
- Since 2011, the Province has invested more the $500 million for seismic upgrades, including upgrades and replacements. This includes seismically upgrading 153 schools.
Learn More:
North Vancouver School District: http://www.sd44.ca
Apprentices on Public Projects Policy: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/construction-industry/apprentices
