JulieMacLellan jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca
Daycare centres cur rently operating at two NewWestminster schools are on the move to a new home and unless a new solution comes to light by December, that home won’t be in the downtown core
NewWestminster school trustees voted Nov 8 to have the district give no tice to the Purpose Society, which runs child care cen tres at École Qayqayt Ele mentary School and Fraser River Middle School The centres, which offer in fant toddler care for 72 children in total, must be relocated by March 2024
The district needs the spaces to create more classrooms at both schools
The trustees’ vote, which took place at an operations committee meeting, will be up for final approval at the full school board meeting
onTuesday, Nov 22
The move comes as School District 40 grapples with a severe shortage of space in its schools, partic ularly in the fast growing central core of the city
“We are in a state of cri sis,” secretary treasurer Bettina Ketcham said District wide, SD40 schools are operating at 110 per cent capacity En rolment for the 2022/23 school year grew by more than five per cent over the previous year, or 347 full time equivalent stu dents considerably higher than the anticipated growth of 220 FTE
The only solution, Ketcham said, is to build new schools but, for that, the district needs cap ital funding from the B C Ministry of Education Though it’s been making capital planning requests to that effect for years, Ketcham said, it wasn’t Continued on page 15
Crowds flocked to the Pattullo Bridge on Nov 15, 1937, to celebrate the grand opening of the new crossing between New Westminster and Surrey
As a marching band performed and marched across the bridge, specta tors lined the bridge Af ter the on bridge cele bration, folks gathered in Queen’s Park Arena for a fancy luncheon
Named after then pre mierThomas Duf ferin (Duff) Pattullo, the bridge cost $4 million to build.
The 85 year old Pat tullo Bridge will continue to serve motorists, cy clists and pedestrians for a couple more years, as the new bridge isn’t set to open until 2024
The Record checked in withWendy Itagawa, executive project director of the Pattullo Bridge re placement project, for an update on the $1 377 bil lion project.
First, some history.
The Pattullo opened as a toll bridge, but those tolls were removed in 1952
Calls for a new cross ing began to heat up in the 1990s and the early 2000s, many in response to crashes that claimed the lives of more than a dozen motorists Speed was cited as a contributing factor to some of the collisions, but many people noted the widths of bridge’s travel lanes no longer metTrans portation Association of Canada guidelines
In the 2000s,TransLink made repairs to the Pat tullo Bridge to improve its safety and structural stability, but it also be gan working on plans for a new crossing It noted that the bridge was operating at capacity
In February 2018, the province announced it would build and assume ownership of the new Pat tullo Bridge replacement The new four lane toll free bridge will include modern, wider lanes that are separated by a centre median barrier, as well as dedicated walking and cy cling lanes on both sides that are separated from traffic by a barrier
Construction of that re placement is now under way
“It’s actually really pro gressing well,” Itagawa said.
“We’ve been actively working, both in the river and on land, both in Sur rey and in NewWest
“So, in the river, we’ve been progressing the main tower So you’ll see that going up in the water, the taller one We finished the foundation for that tower last year ”
Itagawa said that part of the project included in stallation of 27 two me
tre piles for the main foun dation Now the project is working upwards for the main tower and also work ing to complete a sec ondary pier in the water, closer to the NewWest foreshore.
Completing that work, which includes 15 piles, will be a “big milestone” as it signifies the comple tion of the in water foun dations for the bridge, Itagawa said “Then, we’ll just be working upwards on those piers in the water,” she said “And then on land, we have finished all the foundations for the bridge approaches, both on New West and Surrey side So all the foundations are in there. And we are work ing upwards as well, just on the piers and then the columns and the col umn caps. So yeah, I think things are progressing quick ”
Itagawa said some foun dation work will still be re quired for some of the sec ondary ramps leading to the bridge
“But the main, actual bridge foundations will be complete this month. It is a big accomplishment, so we’re pretty excited about that,” she said “And then looking forward, I think 2023 is going to continue to be a busy year ”
Itagawa said the project team will continue work ing up the tower construc tion, which will likely be completed next fall She said people will also start seeing the installation of the steel girders (beams that support slabs) for the main bridge, as well as the concrete deck panels and cables
“It’ll be a lot more visi ble to the public as it’s get ting out of the water,” she said
Itagawa said in river pile driving should be com pleted in the next few weeks
In response to impacts created by the pandemic, the Pattullo Bridge re placement project team shifted the opening of the new bridge from 2023 to 2024
“The new bridge will be opened in 2024,” Itagawa said “We’re working to wards that, and things are really progressing well ”
According to Itagawa, the project hasn’t encoun tered any surprises on the construction front, but it has had to deal with the expected challenges of building a complex proj ect in a “very constrained, highly urban” area She said it’s also had to com ply with a wide range of environmental require ments
The Surrey Board of Trade recently reiterated its support for a six lane replacement for the Pat tullo Bridge
Itagawa said the new bridge will have four lanes, but it’s being built to al low for a potential future expansion to six lanes. Be fore the bridge is ever ex panded to six lanes, she said it would need to in
clude consultation be tween the province, Indig enous groups, the cities of NewWestminster and Surrey, and the May ors’ Council on Regional Transportation
“A lot of our permitting is based on the four lane bridge, so there would be a separate process to come to that decision before it actually came to, if it was ever deemed necessary,” she said.
If a decision was made to expand the bridge to
six lanes, Itagawa said the walking and cycling lanes on each side of the cross ing would be turned into vehicle lanes, and new walking and cycling paths would have to be added to the outside of the bridge.
“The structure’s foun dation is designed for a six lane bridge,” she said. “We would just need to add on each side addi tional walking and cycling lanes.”
In addition, roads on either side of the bridge
would also need to be considered
“The local road net works are currently unable to accommodate addi tional traffic, so that would also need to be looked at,” Itagawa said “So, future regional planning work would be required. Before you could upgrade the bridge, you would have to understand what road connections and changes would need to be done, both in NewWest and Surrey.”
Moody Park Arena | Saturday, Nov 19 and Dec 10 | 8:15 9:45 pm
Meet your friends for games, prizes, goodies, and more! Ages 11-18 welcome Dropin fee includes skate rental! newwestcity ca/rec
Register for Winter Break & Shine Bright activities today, Nov 17, for New Westminster residents and Nov 18 for everyone newwestcity ca/register
View the winter guide and find activities to keep your schedule full from January March 2023.
Registration opens at 8:30 am, Novemeber 24 for New Westminster residents and November 25 for everyone View online: newwestcity.ca/alg
Each season we offer new opportunities for you to enjoy at a “Try it!” rate of $2 00 Find group fitness classes, gymnastics and trampoline, sports drop-in, and more on the list! View the Try it! schedule: newwestcity.ca/try-it
Queensborough is getting its own Transportation Plan, which will provide a guide for addressing challenges related to walking, cycling, public transit, and driving The final Plan will also support and further advance the goals and objectives of the Queensborough Community Plan, the City’s Master Transportation Plan, and the City’s Seven Bold Steps for Climate Action, and will include strategies and recommendations to make walking, cycling, and public transit in Queensborough more convenient and accessible Learn more about the project and complete our community survey by visiting beheardnewwest.ca/queensborough-transportation-plan
1011 Ewen Ave | Saturday, Dec 3, 6:00 8:00 pm
Join us for this annual holiday tradition! Meet Santa and Sparky the Fire Dog, dance to festive music, and enjoy hot cocoa and baked treats while we turn on the Fire Hall’s holiday lights. Please bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation for Food Banks Canada.
Moody Park Arena | Thursdays, 9:30 11:00 am
Share the joy of skating at this special time for parents and preschoolers! Extra toys and equipment are available to make this a fun and exciting experience Our on-ice staff will be there to help with tips and fun! End your session with a treat from the concession too!
Drop-in fee: FREE (0 3 years), $2 00 (4+ years); Skate rentals: $2.50
1:00 pm
November 19
Reimagine the Queen’s Park Farm Drop
Queen’s Park Greenhouse
Did you vote in last month's municipal elections? Do you have feedback and suggestions on the election process? The City is looking for feedback on your 2022 election experience to help inform its approach for the next municipal election in 2026 Visit the Be Heard page to take our survey and share your ideas on helping to increase voter turnout No account necessary beheardnewwest.ca/election-feedback
Join us this Saturday, Nov 19, to reimagine the Queen’s Park Farm! Drop by the greenhouse at Queen’s Park anytime between 1:00 4:00pm for family-friendly activities where you can get your hands dirty and directly experience the proposed concepts for the Farm space. At this fun-filled event, you will have the opportunity to talk with staff about the two conceptual design options, pot a plant to take home, and help build an insect hotel. Visit the Be Heard page for more details and directions: beheardnewwest.ca/qp-farmfuture
Rozzini’s Restaurant, located at 211 Ewen Avenue, is applying to the City of New Westminster and the Province’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) to allow patron participation entertainment at the licensed restaurant (e g., live music, dance floor and karaoke nights).
Capacity for the restaurant, including patio, is 110 people
Proposed entertainment hours: 5pm 11pm Fridays and Saturdays.
Residents and businesses may comment on this proposal in writing by December 8, 2022 to: Mail: City of New Westminster, Economic Development Business Licensing 511 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9
Email: carmanini@newwestcityca
Comments received will be shared with City Council and LCRB. LCRB requires a name and address to be provided with comments in order to be considered. Petitions and form letters will not be considered.
TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca
A NewWestminster res ident has died after be ing hit by a bus when they were getting out of their vehicle
The NewWestminster Police Department is in vestigating a fatal motor vehicle incident that oc curred in the 300 block of East Eighth Avenue around 7 p m onTuesday, Nov 8 The NWPD re ports officers were called to Eighth Avenue, between Cherry and Richmond streets, after receiving a re port of an unresponsive person who had been fa tally injured by a bus
“This is a tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family of this individ ual,” NWPD spokesperson
Sgt JustineThom said in a news release. “We have a large team of investigators working together to deter mine how this happened, but we are still in the early stages at this point ”
Investigators from the Integrated Collision Anal ysis and Reconstruction Service, NewWestminster Police Department’s victim assistance unit, MetroVan couverTransit Police and the BC Coroners Service, attended the scene.Traffic on Eighth Avenue was shut down in both directions while police investigated the crash
In the days following the death, the NewWestmin ster Police Department re leased additional infor mation, stating the person had been struck by a tran sit bus after getting out of
their own vehicle
Hailey Finnigan, the NWPD’s strategic com munications coordinator, said the person “was not using a sidewalk or a cross walk and had just exited their vehicle before being struck by the driver of the transit bus ”
Finnigan said the inves tigation could take months
“It’s being led by the In tegrated Collision Anal ysis and Reconstruction Service,” Finnigan said in an email to the Record “This is a highly special ized team that attended the scene, collected evidence, and will be conducting an in depth analysis to de termine what exactly oc curred ”
Anyone with informa tion is asked to call the NWPD at 604 525 5411
“It would honestly never occur to me that a Christmas tree going up six weeks prior to the holiday is somehow an attack on Remembrance Day ”
“It is very disrespectful I make it a point to remind everyone that Christmas can wait until Dec. 1st, and at minimum after Remembrance Day ”
MY VIEW KEITH BALDREYThis week ends one of the most successful and rather astonishing turns at the helm of a B.C. government, as John Horgan turns the keys to the prem ier’s office over to incoming Premier David Eby
Rather than offering an analysis of his record, in this column I thought I’d share offer some of my favourite Horgan anecdotes
In the legislature, Horgan and I often run into each other in the hallways, each of us leading impromptu tours of the place for people we often don’t even know At one point last year, he mo tioned me over to take over a tour he was giving to some of his constituents
“I totally forgot that I must be on a phone call with the
prime minister in a couple of minutes. You have to take over,” he said, to the bemuse ment of his constituents.
Another time, I saw him pointing some things out to an elderly couple. I ran into them later and asked: “How do you know Mr Horgan?” Their reply: “Oh, is that his name? He said his name was John and that he worked here”
I told them that both were true statements I explained, to their astonishment, that the equivalent of their state governor has just given them a private look around
Finally, one of my favour ite Horgan stories involves a visiting Grade 11 class from Reynolds High School in Victoria, which he attended himself I led a wide eyed
bunch of teenagers into his office one morning in October 2019.
As he talked about what it was like being premier and a Reynolds High grad, I suddenly realized the annual “great shakeout” earthquake drill was about to begin in minutes and there were not enough desks for the kids to dive under for safety
Horgan had an idea “Let’s go up to the cabinet room and dive under the huge table up there,” he said, and I led the students up the stair case and opened the cabinet room door
To my horror I walked in on a cabinet committee meeting We were all speech less at this unbelievable vio lation of the rules when sud denly Horgan came bursting
into the room. “Everyone out! Reynolds High is coming in!” he barked at his startled ministers.
And so the ministers trooped out into the hall and the kids came in and sat around the giant table When the alarm sounded they dove under it, and Horgan dove under it with them He crawled around for several selfies with the students
When it was over, I led the kids out to where the ministers were waiting to go back in
“That was soooo Horgan,” Carole James said, laughing It certainly was No one enjoyed being premier more than him
He will be missed
Keith Baldrey is chief po litical reporter for Global BC
‘That
Editor: Well, it’s been an epic 30 years It started Oct 31, 1990 We hadn’t even moved into our new home at 1507 London St , but we made sure to be there to hand out chocolate bars We had no costumes, but the iconic witch’s hat made its first appearance
Through the years we’ve had hundreds of volunteers doing setup, takedown and dozens upon dozens of actors playing “the unholy dead”
Remember the year neighbours, family and friends carved 107 pumpkins and they were all lit up? The years when the neighbourhood got together raising funds for the fireworks dis plays? So many wonderful memories created!
October 2022 was our last Halloween display, although we will continue to hand out treats for the years we continue to live here
To thousands upon thousands of visitors coming to our home over the years, we wish to thank you All of the time consuming, hard work would not have been done if not for the generations of children coming to visit the Witch. You made it all worth our while.
Editor: New Westminster’s Remembrance Day ceremony started at 10:30, Q to Q started at 11 a m ?
I am trying to understand what the city was thinking when they scheduled the ferry to start at 11 a m on Nov 11 I guess they were not interested in having Queensborough residents attend remembrance ceremonies with their families and paying their respects without driving or taking a long route by public transit
It is ridiculous to start the ferry for after the ceremony. Such an easy walk from the Quay and all the kids are off school, so a good family outing, too I don’t understand the thought processes in selecting this schedule Clearly they didn’t think about the residents across the river I am beyond disappointed Jennifer Kerr
It’s not every day that you dress up like a pirate and float around in a giant pumpkin but that’s ex actly what Scott Loewen did earlier this month
After spending several months growing a giant pumpkin in the front yard of his NewWest home, Loewen with a little help from friends trans ported his 500 pound pumpkin “Jabba” to Buntzen Lake in Anmore and took the pumpkin for a little voyage in the water.
“It was totally cool,” he said “I didn’t do it for too long but it was pretty neat It is a bucket list thing; I’ve got a lot of stuff that I want to do Growing a big pumpkin was always on the list, and I did that And now, I wanted to turn it into a boat.”
Last fall, Loewen planted Dill’s Atlantic Gi ant Pumpkin seeds and grew 560 pound and 130 pound pumpkins, which he then had an art ist carve into creatures he called Goliath and Da vid The giant gourds drew crowds to his Durham Street home
This year, several friends helped Loewen load this year’s pump kin onto a truck to trans port it to Buntzen Lake, where Loewen and about 15 family and friends had a bit of fun on Saturday, Nov 5
“They’ve got a boat launch, so we backed right up into the water and ba sically dumped it in the water,” he said. “I wanted to see how it would float, what side was best to carve the hole, and then I just went ahead and did that and carved it right there at
the lake. I dressed as a pi rate and just made it kind of a fun little event ”
This year’s pumpkin was ideal for completing Loewen’s quest of creating a pumpkin “boat” that he could float it; it was light enough that a group of friends could help him lift it into a truck and it wasn’t so heavy that he wanted to take it to the annual giant pumpkin weigh off event in Langley.
“I have a bunch of stuff I want to do with giant pumpkins, and I’m just kind of knocking them off my list,” he said “Making a boat was one of them ”
After determining the best spot to carve the pumpkin, Loewen used an electric saw and gi ant spoon to carve a hole and clear out a space that he could fit into and wouldn’t fill up with water when it was launched into
the lake
“We did wipe out a cou ple times,” he noted “I went right under and I had to bail it out with a pail and start again ”
And, how was the water on a crisp November af ternoon?
“It was pretty cold,” he laughed
Even though the air and water were cold, Loewen carved a special beverage holder into his pumpkin to hold a beer from Steel & Oak Brewing Co in New West A Gene Simmons figurine sporting a Joe Sakic hockey jersey was also on board for Jabba’s maiden (and final) voyage.
Loewen spent a few minutes soaking up his surroundings, before pad dling back to shore with his orange paddle
“There was a moment when I stopped in the wa ter, and I didn’t paddle I
just sat there and looked out at the lake and the mountains, and I thought ‘Yep, I’m floating in a giant pumpkin.’ How many peo
ple get to do that, right? It’s such a nice thing,” he said “That was kind of that moment where I was like, check.”
NaveenaVijayan nvijayan@newwestrecord ca
Getting too used to havingYouTube and Spotify suggest what you need to listen to next? It’s time to give those apps a break and play music on something more tangible Go old school and head to Steel & Oak Brewery’s seventh edition of Analog Vinyl Fair on Saturday,
and jazz LPs from around the world
Vinyl records, which were sidelined by CDs, MP3 players and stream ing platforms, have be come cool again which means you can be onTik Tok and BeReal and still listen to Stayin’Alive by Bee Gees on LP
“We’re excited to bring this event back for the NewWest and broader music and vinyl com munities,” said Melinda Michael of Steel & Oak Brewing Co
“Music played a big role in helping folks get through the pandemic, so it’ll be all the more spe cial to gather around that shared love of that un expected find deep in a crate
Nov 19, to be held at the River Market food court. You can browse through stacks of vinyl records while nursing a chilled beer from Steel & Oak
The fair was introduced by the brewery in 2016, and the fact that it has continued for seven years now is proof that people in NewWest, and beyond, still like digging into deep crates of hard to find rock, psych, funk, soul
“With the event being hosted at River Market and by us a brewery, it’s a fantastic vibe even for folks who don’t collect vinyl Anyone can come to hang with friends, hear some great music and en joy some tasty food and beer ”
The venue will also in clude a ton of food op tions (vendors include Longtail Kitchen, Pamola Bakery,Tre Galli Gel ato Café Reup BBQ, But terica, Ninja BubbleTea, GreatWallTea, and Pad dlewheeler Pub) to choose from after all, it’s hap
pening in a food court, isn’t it?
But also, know that if you make it to the event, you would be among the first to taste Steel & Oak’s 2022 version of First Press Cold Brew Coffee Stout.
“Analog has been a great way to kick off stout season for us, and we’re excited to bring back First Press for people to en
joy,” said Jorden Foss, co owner of the brewery
The event will see 18 vinyl vendors from all over MetroVancouver, he added
While meeting with record collectors and beer enthusiasts might al ready sound like a party for some, for others, DJs Ana Rivera and Gurtej of Vancouver based online station B Side Radio will
play vinyl sets of folk, per cussion, hip hop, disco, and Bollywood to kick off your Saturday night on a high note
Though the event is on from 5 to 9 p.m., those who don’t want the night to end that early can con tinue the party at the Old Crow Café (in its noc turnal incarnation as Moodswing cocktail bar) on Front Stree
night to a mix of world, downtempo and elec tronic records by local DJs Machinale of Social Me dium (Neal Michael) and Worst Kept Secrets (De von Cody)
AnalogVinyl Fair will be held at the River Mar ket (810 Quayside Dr ) from 5 to 9 p m on Satur day, Nov 19
See www.steelandoak.
The countdown to Christmas is on and the holiday events are al ready starting
FRIDAY, NOV. 18
Tis the Season for Giving: Enjoy a fund raiser for Royal Colum bian Hospital, hosted by the Group of Five at Cen tennial Lodge, Queen’s Park, 5:30 to 7 p.m.Tick ets $40 per person Call 604 537 8975 or email groupoffivenw@gmail com
Christmas craft fair: École Herbert Spencer Elementary School hosts its annual craft fair from 10 a m to 3 p m at the school, 605 Second St NewWest Craft: The Arts Council of New Westminster’s handmade
market returns to River Market (810 Quayside Dr.), 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
FRIDAY, NOV 25
Stories, Songs and Santa Causes: Join iconic Canadian per formerTom Jackson at the MasseyTheatre (735 Eighth Ave ) at 7:30 p m for an evening of music and storytelling in support of the Don’t Go Hun gry food program Tickets $57 regular, $47 students/ seniors, available through www ticketsnw ca Info: www masseytheatre com
Christmas bazaar: St Peter’s Church (330 Royal Ave ) hosts its Christmas bazaar from 9:30 a m to 3 p m , with an assortment of hand knit and sewn items,
Christmas crafts, jewelry, home baking, silent auc tion, kids’ zone and more. Info: 604 522 4611
Handmade Christmas Fair: This holiday mar ket features more than a dozen local alternative art ists, noon to 7 p m at Bul ly’s Studio, 67 Sixth St Entrance by donation; 50 per cent to Purpose Soci ety forYouth and Families
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30 TO WEDNESDAY, DEC 21
Winter Solstice: Enjoy a group exhibition at the Gallery at Queen’s Park, openWednesdays through Sundays from 10 a m to 2 p m Info: www acnw ca/ galleryexhibit
Send holiday events to jmaclellan@newwestrecord. ca
Find more events online: www newwestrecord ca/local events
ca
Between watching reruns of It’s a Wonderful Life and The Grinch, take time out to join a fundraiser at Centennial
Lodge, Queen’s Park, and help raise $5,000 to buy the necessary equipment for the Royal Columbian Hospital this season To join the event organized by Group of Five, call 604 537 8975 or email groupoffivenw@gmail com Tickets are priced at $40 per person
MORE: See groupoffive.ca.
Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance group that has been working to preserve its ancient dance form The 12 member group brings its production Spirit andTradition to NewWest’s Anvil Centre this weekend, at 1 p m on Friday, and 2 p m on Saturday Sit back and watch the show that’s all about how to respect the Earth and each other
WHEN: Friday, Nov 18 at 1 p.m.; Saturday, Nov 19 at 2 p.m
WHERE: Anvil Theatre, 777 Columbia St. (third floor).
TICKETS: $10 to $19.50, plus service charges. Buy through ticketsnw.ca.
Don’t want Spotify to make your Christmas playlist this year? Head to the food court at River Market, and browse through crates of vinyl records at the AnalogVinyl Fair organized by Steel & Oak Brewery to pick the kind of music you would like to groove to this season While you are there, grab a glass of the brewery’s newly released cold brew coffee stout While the fair is only from 5 to 9 p m , you can take the party to Old Crow Café after, till midnight MORE: See www.steelandoak.ca.
Finally, an art show with works that fit your budget Van Dop Gallery (421 Richmond St ) is organizing its annual Small Masterpieces exhibition between 11 a m and 5 p m Head to the exhibition if you believe that all good things come in small packages or you simply want to get your loved one a thoughtful art piece that doesn’t break the bank Some original art
works at the show are priced less than $50.
MORE: See www.vandopgallery.com.
Don’t wait till mid December and Google last minute Christmas gift ideas Instead, plan ahead and visit the Herbert Spencer Christmas Craft Fair 2022 this weekend The fair, at 605 Second St , will have more than 60 artisans, vendors and student crafters displaying their handmade products.While you shop gifts for others from 10 a m to 3 p m , be sure to buy yourself a raffle ticket at the venue Entry is free for all
MORE: Check out the Facebook event listing at www.tinyurl.com/ HerbertSpencerFair2022.
compiled by Naveena Vijayan
Planning for the holiday season? Check out our running list of festive events at www tinyurl com/NewWestChristmasEvents2022
until March of this year that the ministry acknowl edged the district’s capac ity pressures and allowed it to move forward with a business case for a new el ementary school
The district is plan ning a new, 600 student elementary school for the current Fraser River Mid dle School site, but fund ing for that school has not yet been approved and it’s not expected to open un til 2027.
In the meantime, SD40 is making some short term moves to increase capac ity, including converting the daycare space in ques tion into six classrooms: two at Qayqayt and four at FRMS The district wants those classrooms open by September 2024 to add an estimated 150 student seats
Those seats are desper ately needed as enrolment continues to grow rapidly at both schools Qayqayt, with an operating ca pacity of 501, has a pro jected enrolment of 682 by 2024 Fraser River Middle School, meanwhile, has an operating capacity of 500 and a projected enrolment of 669 by 2024.
The NewWestminster school district has secured funding from the B C Ministry of Education to move the two child care centres: from Qayqayt to F.W. Howay Elementary School in Massey Victory Heights, and from FRMS to LordTweedsmuir El ementary School in the West End
But that idea has par ents worried.
Qayqayt parents who spoke against the move at an October school board
meeting pointed out those two neighbourhoods are considerably less cen tral and told trustees that moving child care out of the downtown core would make access difficult and, in some cases, impos sible for families
But SD40 says it’s been left with little choice
Ketcham said the school district has no other sites within the downtown area, and finding another, non district owned site could be difficult on multiple fronts
“We, too, are a not for profit entity,” she said “We do not have the resources or the funding to look for alternate downtown loca tions ”
District staff will con tinue to work with Pur pose Society to try to find an alternate, central loca tion for the child care cen tres, while working in par allel on its default plan to move the two centres to the Howay andTweeds muir sites
But Ketcham sounded a cautionary note about the likelihood of success.
For one, the money available to the school dis trict to move the programs to its other school sites
$2 8 million in new spaces child care funding, and $1.5 million in capital funding to convert the ex isting child care spaces to classrooms is only avail able to the school district for district owned sites; it can’t transfer that money to the Purpose Society for use elsewhere
There’s also the compli cation that Purpose cur rently leases the child care
spaces from the school district at considerably less than market rates, and the possibility of finding an other downtown premises at similar rates is slim Adding to the challenge is the speed with which the school district needs to move in order to have the new classrooms ready for
the fall of 2024 Purpose Society needs to be out by March 2024 so the district has enough time to com plete the necessary reno vations on the spaces and, even more urgently, the district needs to start work on the Howay and Tweedsmuir locations by January 2023 at the latest
That means any new plan must be in place by this December
Trustees voiced reluc tant support for the plan.
Trustee Maya Rus sell said that, in the end, the decision was clear She said she’d had some “wishful thinking” that there would be another
option on the table but added it’s clear that defer ring a decision wouldn’t be the responsible thing to do.
“I remain committed to continuing to grow child care and find ways that this can work, but not at the expense of our man date,” she said
