The Richmond School District is feeling pressure for more classroom space at city centre schools for the upcoming school year.
As a temporary measure, the school district will add five more portables - bringing the total of portables to 14 at city centre schools - to accommodate growing enrolment in the 2023/24 school year.
In September, there will be five portables at Cook, four at Brighouse, four at Tomsett and one at Talmey, according to a school district report.
In 2019, $10 million was earmarked to expand Tomsett elementary by three classrooms and seismically upgrade the school. At that time, Tomsett elementary was at 98-per-cent capacity.
The long-range facility plan, developed in 2018, noted Tomsett’s enrolment was expected to double by 2033.
Adding portables to these four schools is considered a temporary relief for the anticipated enrolment growth.
“Space shortfall in the City Centre Area will continue to grow until capital expansion proposals are supported by the Ministry and completed in future years,” reads the report from Frank Geyer, executive director of facilities.
The board of education has asked for money from the province to expand both Brighouse and Talmey elementary schools in its past four capital plan submissions, but they’ve been continuously turned down.
“There is an urgency for capital project approvals to address the rapid enrollment growth, growing space shortfall and lack of space for portables in City Centre school sites and further meetings with the (Ministry of education and childcare) are being planned,” Geyer added in his report.
Meanwhile, school district staff are researching and planning strategies around site expansions with the City of Richmond for a potential new elementary school at Dover Park, Lansdowne Village or elsewhere in city centre.
The school district estimates it will cost $70 million to acquire a new school site in City Centre, however, it owns a site for a future school at Dover Park.
City of Richmond’s parks and recreation services said they will consult with the school district as they proceed with the design and concept phase for the Lansdowne Village redevelopment.
-with files from Maria Rantanen
