Construction has officially started on the new $26.6-million Margaret “Ma” Murray Community school, benefiting Fort St. John students, teachers and the community for years to come.

Education Minister Mike Bernier, school district officials and community members were at the construction site today to mark the official groundbreaking.

The total cost of the construction project is $26.6 million, with $22.1 million coming from the British Columbia government, and $264,000 being provided by the Peace River North School District.

Community groups will be able to access the school’s extra-large gymnasium. The City of Fort St. John is providing $2.5 million toward the creation of this gym, which will be available for both school and community use. At 900 square-metres in size, this gym is almost two-and-half times the size of a regular elementary school gym. Once completed, this new facility will help address a shortage of recreation space in the area – a concern identified by the community.

BC Hydro is also contributing $1.8 million for a new day care being built at the school. 

Once completed in early 2018, the new Margaret “Ma” Murray Community school will be large enough to welcome 365 K-5 students (40 kindergarten spaces and 325 elementary spaces). At 4,000 square metres, the state-of-the-art building will give students the learning spaces they need to succeed by supporting B.C.’s new curriculum.

Designed to be a central hub of the community, the new school will provide space for local services that will benefit many area families, including a Neighbourhood Learning Centre and a StrongStart Centre.

The Margaret “Ma” Murray Community school project is also helping ensure young people get a chance to learn the trades, as it is being built under B.C.’s Apprentices on Public Projects Policy, part of the B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint. This is one way the Province is helping ensure more young people in B.C. get connected with skills training and apprenticeship opportunities.

While at the construction site today, Bernier also announced $516,600 in provincial funding to the school district for the second phase of the $2-million École Central Elementary school renovation project. This funding will help support work to improve the overall building condition and provide a more comfortable learning environment, including repairing the roof, insulating the foundation and installing heat recovery ventilators.

The B.C. government is making record investments in modern, safe infrastructure projects throughout the province. In doing so, these construction projects are creating well-paying, family-supporting jobs. This project is anticipated to create about 81 local jobs. These investments are possible because of the fiscal plan of the B.C. government.

Quotes:

Mike Bernier, Education Minister –

“The community is really coming together to support the new Margaret “Ma” Murray Community school. With student apprentice participation, and financial support from our partners at the City of Fort St. John and BC Hydro, we are building a brighter future for B.C. – together. The new school will truly be a hub of the community serving more than just K-5 students for years to come. I am also pleased to announce funding to help with the renovations at École Central Elementary, supporting student learning.”

Ida Campbell, Peace River North Board of Education chair –

“We are very pleased to have the Minister of Education here today for an official ground-breaking ceremony, allowing us the opportunity to celebrate this new school project and share this stage of construction with the community. This will be a 21st-century-designed school and with an enhanced gymnasium through the partnership of the City of Fort St. John, as well as the addition of a day care funded by BC Hydro, will serve our students and community for many years to come.”

Lori Ackerman, mayor of Fort St. John –

“This new school is a wonderful and much needed addition to the community. We look forward to partnering with our school board on other innovative approaches that benefit community.”

Quick Facts:

• Margaret “Ma” Murray served the community of Fort St. John for decades and founded the Alaska Highway News in the 1940s. She received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian journalism and received an honorary doctorate from Simon Fraser University, both in 1971.
• Once completed, the school’s main entrance foyer will be known as the Bella Yahey Gathering Centre, recognizing the great contribution of Bella Yahey and the Dane-zaa people. This centre is being designed as a common community space for learning and networking.
• Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $28 million in capital projects in the Peace River North School District.
• This includes additions to North Peace Secondary, Duncan Cran Elementary, Prespatou Elementary-Secondary, Energetic Learning campus, and Clearview Elementary Junior Secondary schools.

Learn More:

School District 60: www.prn.bc.ca

Ministry of Education capital planning: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/administration/resource-management/capital-planning

StrongStart BC: http://ow.ly/UUlZ1

Neighbourhood Learning Centres: http://ow.ly/UUlV0

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/