School District 57 (SD57) is going to ask B.C.'s Ministry of Education for a $75.3-million replacement project for D.P. Todd Secondary School.
The board of education approved it’s 2021-22 Five-Year Capital Plan at its meeting last night (June 16) and at the top of the list was the proposal for D.P. Todd, which is intended to address capacity challenges in the current building.
“The big highlight of the five-year capital plan, once again, this year is trying to address the capacity challenge through the replacement project of D.P. Todd Secondary School and you will see the price tag of just over $75 million,” said Trustee Ron Polillo during the meeting.
“We think we have a pretty compelling business case hopefully we receive some good news down the road.”
The province requires school districts to prepare five-year capital plans; the district's 2021-22 plan must be submitted to the education ministry by June 30.
“Keep in mind this is our wish list we are submitting to the ministry,” added Polillo.
Last year, SD57 submitted a request for a proposed expansion project at D.P. Todd in the amount of $40,045,503 to include room for an additional 300 students.
Trustee Shuirose Valimohamed asked why the district was now asking for a complete replacement of the school rather than a renovation and expansion.
“It’s my understanding that on the advice from ministry staff when we submitted last year they essentially said to us at this point the likelihood of the replacement project would be the better option,” explained Polillo.
Secretary-Treasurer Darleen Patterson said when the district submitted the renovation project to the ministry last year, the ministry said it could not fund the expansion and the renovation of existing spaces.
“That will result in us having an unworkable building, so that is what drove us towards replacement rather than just the expansion because we also cannot afford to pay for an internal renovation,” said Patterson.
Polillo noted that three new portables were delivered to the home of the Trojans this week.
“We have six portables set ready to go for the fall for D.P. Todd and I think that strengthens our case that we have capacity challenges at that school.”
However, SD57 Board Chair Tim Bennett questioned whether the district would be able to ask for an additional school to address capacity issues rather than the replacement of D.P. Todd.
“It’s a big price tag would we have better luck if we could get a $40 million project for an additional school?”
Patterson then informed the board the ministry only takes into consideration existing capacity challenges and not projections for future enrollment in the district.
There are a number of other items on the district’s wish list for the ministry.
SD57 is requesting three addition projects such as four classrooms, daycare and multipurpose room at Malaspina Elementary School ($5,900,000), Edgewood Elementary School ($5,500,000) and Springwood Elementary School ($5,600,000).
The submission also includes Carbon Neutral Capital Program projects and School Enhancement Program Projects.
This the fourth year that these projects have been included in the five-year capital plan.
“As you can see there is an incredible amount of work we want to do over the next five years,” noted Polillo.
