Queen Elizabeth Elementary School is movin’ on up.
New Westminster Schools has announced it’s moving forward on plans for an expansion to Queen Elizabeth Elementary School. The district will add an extra floor to the Queensborough facility, with the expansion targeted for completion for the 2025/2026 school year.
“This is great news for the Queensborough community,” QE principal Sarah Phelan said in a news release. “We are all very excited to see the increase in space, as we are a growing community. The additional room provides exciting opportunities for our Queensborough families and staff.”
The expansion will transform the building from a two-storey structure to a three-storey school that provides space for 21 classrooms. Upon completion, the added rooms will allow Grade 5 students to return to Queen Elizabeth Elementary.
“It really is fantastic news,” said Tabitha Guichon, chair of the parent advisory council. “We are tremendously grateful for the board’s advocacy to ensure we have space to meet our growing needs. Having the Grade 5 students move back to the elementary school is something that our community has been advocating for over the years. We’re glad to see that happening and be back in alignment with the other elementary schools in the district.”
In other New West neighbourhoods, kindergarten to Grade 5 students attend elementary schools. Because of enrolment and space issues, Grade 5 students in Queensborough currently attend classes in the middle school.
According to the school district, like the original expansion plan, the updated plans will continue to feature a neighbourhood learning centre within the building that will include before-and-after-school childcare options.
“We’re thrilled to hear the project at Queen Elizabeth Elementary School will receive a third floor,” said Maya Russell, chair of the New Westminster board of education. “The Province of BC heard us about the pace of population growth in this community, and the need to prepare for future families. This larger expansion will go a long way to alleviate pressures in Queensborough’s elementary and middle schools.”
On Oct. 24, the Ministry of Education and Child Care approved the additional space for the school, bringing the provincial government’s total investment up to $34.03 million. The third floor will increase Queen Elizabeth Elementary’s total capacity to 763 students.
“This investment reflects our government’s dedication to preparing for future families and ensuring our students have the best learning environment possible,” said Richmond-Queensborough MLA Aman Singh. “I commend the advocacy and collaboration of all parties involved in making this expansion a reality, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our Queensborough community.”
Today’s announcement follows the Ministry of Education and Child Care’s June 2021 plan to support a $20.1-million investment for a 13-classroom expansion at Queen Elizabeth Elementary School.
The third-floor expansion of Queen Elizabeth Elementary School has been a priority in the school district’s long-range facilities plan.
“Once finished, the expansion will feature a three-storey addition connected to the main school building via an enclosed breezeway,” said a news release from the school district. “The project’s anticipated completion date is being finalized but is targeted for the 2025/2026 school year owing to the changing project scope and challenging site conditions at the proposed building area.”
Asa reported in the Record in June 2023, Queensborough’s school needs are front and centre in the School District 40 capital plan submission for 2024-25 – and extra funding for the long-awaited Queen Elizabeth Elementary School expansion is in those plans.
In 2021, funding was announced for a 13-classroom, 325-student expansion, with construction expected to be completed in early 2024. Construction has been impacted by the site’s complexities.
