A Comox elementary school is the latest to get a prefabricated addition that can be built in about half the time conventional construction takes.
The 11-classroom addition to Aspen Park Elementary is being built with $16.5 million in provincial funding, and will add 270 new seats to the fast-growing kindergarten-Grade 7 school.
“This project is a significant step forward in helping us meet the needs of our growing student population in a timely manner,” said Michelle Waite, chair of the Comox Valley School Board.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2025.
Prefabricated classroom additions in the Sooke School District were announced last fall.
Construction is underway on a total of 16 new classrooms at Ruth King Elementary in Langford and Colwood’s David Cameron Elementary, which will add another 380 student spaces.
The classrooms are expected to be ready for students by September.
The district has long been one of the fastest-growing school districts in the province, with a student population that has grown about 40 per cent in the past 15 year, to 12,900 students.
“As B.C.’s population continues to grow, our government is finding the best solutions to get more students into classrooms as quickly as possible,” said Education Minister Rachna Singh.
The Comox school addition will have an energy-efficient design and will align with CleanBC targets, the Education Ministry said.
The Comox Valley School District has seen the upgrade and partial replacement of Lake Trail Middle School and construction of a new Hornby Island Elementary School in recent years.
