As part of the province’s aim to improve schools across British Columbia, a Langley Secondary school is set to receive $3.8 million in seismic upgrades.
Government of British Columbia announced on Tuesday the multi-million dollar funding will see the two-storey classroom building at Vanguard Secondary replaced with new classrooms attached to the main building of the school.
READ MORE: Kids will learn in portables while Shortreed gets $8.9 million seismic upgrade
“We welcome this project and believe it will increase learning opportunities and create additional safe spaces,” said Patrick Thomas, school principal. “This will help support our students and staff as they work together to overcome challenges and build resiliency.”
Vanguard provides both long- and short-term therapeutic interventions for students throughout the Langley School District who require personalized support.
The construction for this project is expected to start in March 2022, according to Joanne Abshire, communications manager with the Langley School District.
“There will be limited impact to school operations,” she said. “Students and staff will be utilizing the school’s annex. Once the new additional space is completed, the annex will be demolished.
The upgrades are scheduled to be complete by March 2023.
Great news!
Our work to upgrade schools with a high seismic risk continues in #Langley with upgrades now approved for Vanguard Secondary. Soon all students at the school will be learning in seismically safe classrooms. #bced @MeganDykeman @LangleySchoolshttps://t.co/yeWcVNHRY0— Jennifer Whiteside (@JM_Whiteside) May 4, 2021
“Vanguard Secondary plays such an important role in the lives of so many students and families in our community,” said Megan Dykeman, MLA for Langley East. “I am so thrilled to know this school will soon be improved for its students, and I am grateful for all of the work happening in our schools, which will continue to benefit people in Langley.”
The latest funding announcement, the province said, has seen more than $2.3 billion invested provincewide and $63.7 million in Langley in less than four years.
READ MORE: Construction begins on new Langley school for 555 students
The investments in Langley have been allocated towards a site and new elementary school in the southwestern Yorkson neighbourhood, seismic upgrades at Shortreed Elementary, and a site purchase for a future school in the Latimer neighbourhood.
The breakdown of the $63.7 million in major school capital funding approved in the Langley School District since September 2017 is as follows:
- June 2018 – Site purchase for a new south west Yorkson area elementary school (Donna Gabriel Robins Elementary School) – $9.3 million
- January 2019 – Site purchase for a new Latimer area elementary school – $9.56 million
- May 2019 – New south west Yorkson elementary school (Donna Gabriel Robins Elementary School) – $32.2 million
- January 2020 – Seismic upgrades at Shortreed Community Elementary – $8.9 million
- May 2021 – Seismic upgrades at Vanguard Secondary – $3.8 million
READ MORE: Province pitches in on purchase of new Langley elementary site
