The Surrey School District has sent its list of the top 10 most urgently needed projects to the province.
In all, the 2019-2020 Five Year Capital Plan submission requests funding for 39 major projects, “prioritized to meet the district’s urgent need for more space, particularly in fast-growing Surrey neighbourhoods such as Grandview, Clayton and South Newton,” a school district release notes.
The updated five-year capital plan, approved at a Board of Education meeting on June 20, includes $977 million worth of new school spaces, land to build new schools, replacement projects and upgrades.
Topping the list is a new elementary school in the Sunnyside area of South Surrey, followed by a land purchase and new elementary school in South Newton.
Third is another new South Newton Elementary, followed by a replacement and addition to William Watson Elementary.
Fifth on the school district’s list is land being acquired for a new Dart’s Hill Elementary, followed by an addition to Sunnyside Elementary, and addition to Morgan Elementary.
Eighth on the list is to purchase land for a new secondary school in Newton, followed by an addition to White Rock Elementary and finally, another addition to Martha Currie Elementary.
The capital plan also includes a number of minor projects “focused on making facilities more efficient and reducing the district’s carbon footprint.”
Additional funds are requested for a new bus and playground funding.
In all, the district is asking for nearly 4,000 new student spaces in the South Surrey and White Rock area, by way of a new Sunnyside Heights Elementary, additions to Sunnyside and White Rock elementaries and Semiahmoo Secondary.
New school sites are also proposed in this area, including planned Dart’s Hill and Redwood Heights elementaries, as well as a Grandview Heights Elementary replacement.
In Newton, more than 2,700 student spaces are proposed, including a planned new South Newton elementary, and additions to Frank Hurt and Tamanwis secondary schools.
In Cloverdale, the district proposed 1,766 new elementary and 825 secondary student spaces by adding a Clayton Heights Secondary, additions to Martha Currie and Clayton elementaries as well as an addition to North Surrey Secondary. In this area, the district also proposes land be purchased and a new elementary be built in south Port Kells. Land expansion to Clayton Elementary is also planned.
In Guildford, 1,136 student spaces are proposed, including a replacement and eight-classroom addition to William Watson Elementary.
The district also asks for 486 new student space in City Centre, through an eight-class addition to K.B. Woodward Elementary, and a 300-student addition to Kwantlen Park Secondary.
