Caledonia Secondary School is buying a new 24-passenger bus for its sports and academic travel next year.
It recently found that its current bus needed significant and expensive repairs, and with the age of the bus, it would save money and be safer to simply replace the vehicle.
The Coast Mountains School District will pay half of the $67,000-cost for the bus, and the rest is up to the school.
The school is looking for grants, assistance from its parent advisory council and will fundraise itself to cover its portion.
The school district has agreed to finance the school’s half in the interim while it raises the money.
“In normal practice, the school district supports each of our high schools by providing funding for half of the cost of the purchase of the bus,” said school district secretary-treasurer Alanna Cameron.
“In order to have a bus to our specs, here and on-site for our September startup, we need to order it as quickly as possible,” she told the board at a recent meeting.
The board had a brief discussion before it approved the bus purchase.
During discussion, trustee Sandy Watson asked if Skeena Middle School and Caledonia Secondary could share a bus.
Cameron said they have previously shared one, but that changed when the hockey academy started up at Skeena in 2013 and players needed a way to travel to the sportsplex and back again.
“They shared for several years, up until we started the hockey program and then it was just not feasible. They couldn’t manage, they couldn’t share the bus,” Cameron said.
“The sports programs have grown to a capacity that requires two in the Terrace area.”
