Students and families will soon be benefiting from more space at Valleyview Secondary as construction gets underway on a 525-seat addition.

“Kamloops is a growing community, and we are working quickly to ensure students are learning in positive and engaging environments,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. “In addition to getting students out of portables, the school community will also benefit from a new gymnasium, enhancing access to physical health opportunities.”

The Government of B.C. is providing $32.7 million for the new addition, which will include 20 new classrooms, a new gymnasium, multipurpose space, special education classrooms and improved parking and play areas. The Kamloops School District is contributing $1.75 million to the project.

“This design incorporates many of the healthy and inclusive spaces that our students and staff imagined,” said Rhonda Kershaw, newly acclaimed chair of the Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education. “It is exciting to see their concepts and ideas move closer to reality, and we are looking forward to the day our students and staff can learn, work and socialize in a modern and spacious Valleyview Secondary school.”

The new addition is on track to open by September 2022. It will bring the school’s capacity from 675 to 1,200 students, and eliminate the need for the nine portables currently in use.

This investment is part of government’s work to build new and expanded schools in fast-growing communities throughout B.C.

Since September 2017, the Province has announced over $2.1 billion for school capital projects. This includes $749 million to add more than 13,000 new student seats in B.C. schools, eliminating the equivalent of about 520 portables.

To continue this momentum, Budget 2020 includes a record $2.8 billion for new and improved schools for students throughout B.C.

Learn More:

For more information on the K-12 Education Restart Plan, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/covid-19-return-to-school