A seismically safer and upgraded school is one step closer today with the start of construction at Burnaby’s École Alpha Secondary school.

Burnaby North MLA Richard T. Lee met with students, teachers and staff at École Alpha Secondary to take part in the groundbreaking on the $27.2-million project and unveil the design plans for the school on behalf of Education Minister Mike Bernier.

The project will replace two classroom wings with a better organized and more modern space. The project also includes seismic upgrades to gyms and classrooms, as well as the administrative and shop rooms. These improvements will increase capacity of the school from 1,025 to 1,100 students. Construction is expected to complete in fall 2018.

The Province is contributing $26.6 million toward the project and the Burnaby school district is contributing $566,000.

Government is able to make investments like this thanks to the Province’s fiscal discipline and strong economy. The project will also help ensure young people get a chance to learn a trade, as the school will be built under B.C.’s Apprentices on Public Projects Policy.

(flickr.com)

Quotes:

Richard T. Lee, MLA for Burnaby North –

“As the school year comes to an end, we have a new beginning at École Alpha Secondary school. This important project is part of our commitment to ensuring schools are structurally safe from earthquakes. Like the students, parents and teachers at Alpha, I look forward to the improvements when the project is complete.”

Ron Burton, Burnaby board of education chair –

“While safety is always our top priority, we appreciate the project management team’s ingenuity at addressing additional project priorities such as creating a learning commons, STEM labs, and energy efficiencies. We look forward to the grand unveil in 2018.”

Quick Facts:

• École Alpha Secondary school was built in 1952. The current enrolment is 943 students, with a capacity of 1,025.
• To date, eight seismic projects have been completed in Burnaby, including: Gilmore Community School, Cariboo Hill Secondary, Capitol Hill Elementary, Douglas Road Elementary, Burnaby Central Secondary, Brantford Elementary, Edmonds Community School and Chaffey-Burke Elementary.
• Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $193 million to complete 16 capital and seismic projects in SD 41.
• 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 on school seismic upgrade and replacement projects.

(flickr.com)

Learn More:

For more information about the Ministry of Education’s Seismic Mitigation Program: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/capitalplanning/seismic/

Burnaby school district: http://www.sd41.bc.ca/

For more information on the Apprentices on Public Projects policy visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/public-project-contractors-required-to-sponsor-apprentices

B.C.’s New Curriculum: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/