The new trades centre at NorKam Secondary is almost complete and now the district is looking towards other necessary upgrades.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - Nearly $150 million in upgrades, additions and new builds are identified in the Kamloops-Thompson School District five year capital plan, including a brand new school in the Pineview Valley area.

A new school is named as one of the top priorities for the school district in the five year capital plan, along with $6.7 million in upgrades to South Kamloops Secondary School, a $9.6 million addition for Westmount Elementary and nearly $2 million in bus replacements, which were all identified as priorities during the last school year.

The newly identified priorities include $12.7 million for a new school in Pineview Valley and nearly $78 million in replacement costs for Bert Edwards, Kay Bingham, Raft River, AE Perry, marion Schilling and Beattie schools.

Due to increasing development in the southwestern quarter a new school will be needed to keep up with anticipated growth of the area. Supt. Karl de Bruijn says there is already dedicated space for the school, as there is in most subdivisions, but any construction would be at least five years off.

“We are seeing a fair amount of growth in that part of the city,” he notes. “(But) it would still be five years once we get the okay from Victoria.”

Elementary students from Pineview currently attend Dufferin, McGowan and Pacific Way schools.

The board will decide Monday night whether to keep the priority list as it is presented or to change it up before sending it off to the government. Though de Bruijn says the government is not actually accepting capital plans this year they feel the government needs to see the need.

“We want them to realize there is a need,” de Bruijn says, adding the need goes beyond just enrolment numbers. “There’s aging infrastructure… we’re having problems with capacity of electrical systems.”

As for current larger projects in the district de Bruijn says they are still expecting construction of the trades centre at NorKam Secondary will be complete for next semester.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

News from © iNFOnews, 2014