Students at Pleasant Valley Secondary school are one step closer to having a new gymnasium, which will also benefit the community.

“I know the community is looking forward to the gym’s completion and I’m so happy that construction is underway,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “School gyms are vital meeting places in communities like Armstrong, serving as both recreation spaces and a place where neighbours can connect.”

The new gym is expected to be ready in January 2025. The Province is providing as much as $15.2 million to replace the gym at Pleasant Valley Secondary school. With energy-efficient design elements, the new gym will be made with climate-resilient materials to make it more sustainable. Once built, the new gym will also be available to the broader community as a gathering place for local sports teams, First Nations groups and other organizations. 

“Thank you to the ministry for supporting this much-needed gymnasium,” said Amanda Krebs, board chair, School District 83. “While the last few years without a gym have been made bearable by the tremendous support from the community and other schools, we are really looking forward to the opening of this new energy-efficient and climate-resistant gym. We know how important physical fitness is to our students, not only for their overall health, but also in the building, and fostering of a healthy school community.”

Students are currently using nearby city-owned facilities for physical education classes and other local school gyms for team sports since the Pleasant Valley school gym was shut down due to safety reasons in 2021.

Budget 2023 includes $3.4 billion for school capital projects over the next three years, including new and expanded schools, seismic upgrades and replacements, and land purchases for future schools.