British Columbia Grade School Build Stays on Track

By SCN Staff

NEW WESTMINSTER, British Columbia—Construction remains on target for the new $35 million Richard McBride Elementary School in New Westminster to be completed by December 2021 or January 2022.

The replacement of the 90-year-old building remains underway with work proceeding according to plan. Site preparation work is complete and general contractor Heatherbrae Builders will soon pour the concrete slab and start installing the steel structure. IBI Architectural Group is the architect on this impressive project.

“The design proposed is innovative, focused on accessibility and grounded in the natural geography of the area,” said Anita Ansari, chair of the New Westminster Board of Education, in a statement.

The replacement of Richard McBride Elementary will provide a modern school built with a capacity for 505 students—representing 65 additional student seats. The New Westminster School District is providing $1 million toward the replacement.

“Our government is working hard to give all students the best learning experience possible, and the replacement of Richard McBride Elementary is a great example of that,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education, in a statement.

“We’re replacing the school with a new, expanded and seismically safe facility that will eliminate the need for portables and provide new, much-needed childcare spaces for New Westminster families.”

To further benefit local families, the new school will also feature space for StrongStart and before and after school care programs, as well as a neighborhood learning center where additional childcare spaces will be a priority.

Full completion of the project, including landscaping and demolition of the old school, is set to take place by September 2022.