91原创

Vanguard Secondary will be getting a $3.7 million seismic upgrade that will also add two new classrooms and a multipurpose room to the Otter-area school.

The announcement Wednesday at Vanguard, at 244th Street and Fraser Highway, began with a welcome by Kwantlen First Nation elders Cheryl Gabriel and Lekeyten.

鈥淚 want to thank you from the bottom of my heart,鈥� Gabriel said.

She said three family members had been through Vanguard and its predecessor schools, learning strength and resiliency.

Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside made the official announcement of the upgrade.

鈥淲e expect the construction to begin soon, and to be completed in 2023,鈥� she said.

Students will remain on site during the reconstruction and expansion.

鈥淏y making these significant investments in education, we can ensure that students are welcomed into safe, modern, and inspiring places to learn for years to come,鈥� Whiteside said.

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Vanguard Secondary is a special program in the 91原创 School District, helping students who have issues with mental health, trauma, or substance abuse to get an education.

91原创鈥檚 school board chair Rod Ross noted the school鈥檚 special purpose.

鈥淭his is more than a school,鈥� Ross said. 鈥淚t is a place of trust for our students.鈥�

The school follows 鈥渢rauma-informed practices鈥� in its education.

Whiteside spent part of the morning at Vanguard meeting students and visiting classrooms.

The has invested in the 91原创 School District for a partial seismic replacement at Vanguard Secondary, as well as a land purchase for potential future school sites in the Willoughby Slope. Read more:

鈥� 91原创 Schools (@91原创Schools)

The seismic upgrade will be an opportunity for the school to expand and create a new gathering place for future school events.

It鈥檚 also part of a province-wide campaign to seismically upgrade school buildings to better survive withstand earthquakes.

Since 2017, the province has put more than $1.2 billion into seismic upgrades and replacements at B.C. schools. The program was also underway before the NDP government came to power, under the previous Liberal government.

A recent report showed that 199 schools had seen their upgrades completed, 28 are under construction, five are about to start construction, and 250 are future priorities.

In 91原创, Belmont Elementary, Fort 91原创 Elementary, 91原创 Fine Arts School, 91原创 Secondary, and Peterson Road Elementary have already received seismic upgrades.