New Resource Education Centre set to open Complements existing DEC By Melanie Franner
There’s a lot that can be said for consolidation. Just ask Surrey Schools. With 125 schools and approximately 300 administrative personnel, the school district is the fastest-growing in the province. It’s no wonder then that Surrey Schools has already established the District Education Centre (DEC), and is on its way to completing the Resource Education Centre (REC). “The need for the REC is driven by a similar need that saw the DEC being constructed,” explains Doug Strachan, manager of communications services, Surrey Schools. “We had eight offices distributed throughout a large geographical area. Both the DEC and the REC are designed to bring together those offices to mitigate employee travel time and reduce significant leasing costs.” Strachan advises that the REC – which offers 3,678 square metres of space – will incorporate a department and an educational program currently housed in leased facilities. It will also bring the consolidated offices and warehousing space closer to the main administration building, while offering plenty of room for classrooms and meeting spaces. And it will 26
Ops Talk • Fall 2015
fulfill the district’s need for a large conference area. “The first step in building the REC was to build the DEC,” he continues. “That took several years. The need for the DEC was identified in the mid-‘90s and we got the go-ahead in 2009. After the DEC was established, our thoughts turned to the REC, which we pursued as soon as possible. Both projects were fully funded through district revenue, not education funding.”
All-in-one The REC will provide a combination of warehouse and meeting space, with the former representing approximately one-third of the total. The warehousing area will also allow for processing and assembly of products to be re-shipped to the various schools. The rest of the space will be comprised of classrooms and meeting spaces, along with a conference area capable of seating 250 delegates. A small fitness centre will also be part of the new facility. “We were dealing with almost two different solitudes in-
