The new spaces that will house two daycares relocated out of downtown schools are on track to open on time, the New Westminster school district says.
Portables are being installed at Lord Tweedsmuir and F.W. Howay elementary schools to make space for two infant-toddler daycare centres run by the Purpose Society.
The daycares — which offer care to a total of 72 children — are being forced to move out of École Qayqayt Elementary School and Fraser River Middle School to make more space for classrooms, as School District 40 copes with a shortage of space.
Matt Brito, the district’s director of facilities, provided an update on the move at the school board's June 6 operations committee meeting. He said the district has received building services permits for both sites and has started on utilities work. The portables themselves will be built and ready for installation sometime in late August, and the playground is set for installation in September.
The district is also working with the Purpose Society to start the Fraser Health approval process.
Brito noted the modular buildings will have sprinkler systems and running water, plus air conditioning because the spaces will be used year-round.
In response to trustees' questions about whether the spaces would be ready on schedule, Brito noted the district is working towards its original goal: to have the spaces ready for move-in during March break of 2024.
He said the district is targeting October or November of 2023 for city occupancy permits, after which it can start the Fraser Health inspections. It’s hoping for Fraser Health sign-off by February 2024.
Laura Kwong, chair of the New Westminster district parent advisory council, sought assurance that the spaces will be ready on time so families won’t be left without care.
Secretary-treasurer Bettina Ketcham said the district’s plan is built on providing continuous care.
“The piece that’s always difficult to predict is the Fraser Health licensing, which is why we’ve given ourselves so much time between the completion of the spaces and the potential movement,” she said.
She said the district is already working with Fraser Health to ensure it can meet the necessary timelines.
Once the daycares move out of their existing spaces, the district will start renovations to have the new classrooms ready for September 2024.
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