More than 700 students can now look forward to attending a safer school in Richmond.

Minister of Education Rob Fleming announced today that Hugh Boyd Secondary school will be seismically upgraded and partially replaced at a cost of $10.7 million.                        

This investment makes sure that Hugh Boyd students will be safer in the event of an earthquake, giving families the comfort of knowing their children are learning in a secure environment.

Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2019 and to be complete in fall 2020. Students will be able to remain on site during the project. Contractors will work to minimize disruptions to the learning environment. 

Hugh Boyd was built in phases between 1960 and 1994. The school’s technical education wing, along with blocks 2 and 3, do not meet the Province’s seismic building requirements and are at risk of liquefaction during an earthquake.

The technical education wing will be demolished and replaced at a different location on the property. The school’s south classroom wing (block 2) and Gymnasium A (block 3) will be seismically upgraded.

Government is creating a plan to address the backlog of seismic projects in the province. This includes encouraging collaboration between the Ministry of Education, school districts and local governments to meet ambitious timelines and reduce the time it takes to plan and upgrade a school. Government will also work to cut wait times for school construction by speeding up the funding approval process.

The Province will work with Seismic Mitigation Program experts, including Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia, to look for ways to more efficiently and cost-effectively meet and exceed the building code for seismic safety.

Quotes:

Rob Fleming, Minister of Education –

“Hugh Boyd is a 57-year-old school that is an important part of the community and we need to make sure students will be safer in the event of an earthquake. We are on track to approve 50 seismic upgrades in 18 months, and I’m proud that Hugh Boyd is one of those projects.”

Sherry Elwood, superintendent, Richmond School District –

“Today’s funding announcement signals that our school district and the Ministry of Education share the same goal of ensuring that our students and staff work and learn together in safe buildings. Providing facilities that meet seismic standards is a responsibility that we take seriously and we are encouraged by the government’s investment in Hugh Boyd Secondary. We will be pleased to continue to partner with the ministry to make certain that we can provide safe learning environments throughout the district.”

Debbie Tablotney, chair, Richmond School Board –

“The Richmond Board of Education has worked diligently to establish a strong working relationship with our government. We are pleased that the minister has listened to our concerns and has begun to address the need for seismic upgrades and safe schools within Richmond. We look forward to working with the minister in addressing our seismic needs and to build on the positive progress that has been made today at Hugh Boyd Secondary.”

Quick Facts:

• Government has committed $522 million over three years for seismic upgrades throughout B.C.
• Three of 27 high-risk schools in Richmond have had seismic upgrades completed.
• William Cook Elementary school’s seismic upgrades are proceeding to construction.
• The remainder of the district’s high-risk schools are in the business-case development stage with the Richmond School District.
• Hugh Boyd Secondary school has an enrolment of 720 students.
• After construction, the school will have a capacity of 800 students.