Two Richmond schools are to get a $16 million seismic upgrade, starting next spring and summer.
Work will begin on the 63-year-old Tait elementary, near Bridgeport and No. 4 roads, next spring at a cost of $7.59 million.
Construction at 58-year-old Ferris elementary, at Gilbert and Blundell roads, will start next summer at a cost of $8.49 million.
Premier John Horgan made the announcement Friday morning at Tait elementary, flanked by Rob Fleming, B.C.’s Minister of Education, and in front of an audience of Richmond school trustees, MLAs and city councillors.
Tait elementary is a one-storey school, which opened in 1955 as a two-room facility. It now has a capacity for 364 students. Ferris, also a one-storey school, has a 616 student capacity.
“When students, teachers and staff walk through the front doors of their school, they deserve to feel safe and secure,” said Horgan.
"After years of underfunding and delay, we're moving forward with upgrades at Tait and Ferris elementary schools."
An assessment of both schools found they were are at high risk in the event of an earthquake and in urgent need of seismic upgrades.
The province has funded a Richmond Capital Project Team, dedicated to addressing the backlog of seismic projects in Richmond and fast-tracking upgrades like the ones at Tait and Ferris.
"Richmond has had only three schools seismically upgraded in the past decade, and that's just not good enough," added Fleming.
“Parents shouldn't have to worry about their children's safety at school. Families deserve better, which is why we are speeding up the pace of seismic upgrades in Richmond and throughout B.C."
Friday’s announcement, according to Sherry Elwood, Richmond School District superintendent, “brings the Richmond School District one step closer to the realization of our vision as the best place to learn and lead."
Since September 2017, the Province has announced more than $350 million in funding to upgrade or replace high-risk schools, including a seismic upgrade for Richmond's Hugh Boyd secondary.
In July, the school district told how it had identified 15 schools to seismically upgrade over the next five years, at a cost of $176 million.
Three schools - Tomsett ($9.5 million), Mitchell ($9.7 million) and Manoah Steves ($11.3 million) - have been included in the district's 2019/2020 Capital Plan, approved by the school board in June, and submitted to the Ministry for "support."
The district said this week it is working on the project definition reports for Ministry approval before submitting them.
Horgan hinted on Friday that more seismic announcements could be coming soon.
The school district also revealed this summer how is was abandoning plans to build a new City Centre elementary school in downtown Richmond as it wrestles with the reality that 39 schools — and not the 25 previously thought — require some seismic upgrades.
Furthermore, to deal with ageing facilities, the district is considering selling off excess land.
