Just in time for back-to-school, the provincial government gives Quesnel the news it’s been hoping for about Carson Elementary.
“Replacement for Carson Elementary coming soon to Quesnel,” announced the minister of Education, Rachna Singh, as morning broke on Sept. 5. “This new expanded school will serve the Quesnel community for years to come.”
Funding was approved to replace and expand Carson Elementary School, the minister explained.
“The Province is providing as much as $61.2-million to build the new school, which will have increased capacity of 195 seats for a total of 390 seats. The new school will also include an expanded gym and a neighbourhood learning centre that will be used to benefit the broader community by providing services such as child care.”
“The Quesnel Board of Education would like to thank the Ministry of Education & Child Care for the significant investment and the building of a new Carson Elementary School,” said Tony Goulet, chair of the Quesnel Board of Education. “We look forward to working with the ministry in the development of a new facility that will benefit the students and families of Carson and the community as a whole. The landslide has presented challenging times for students and families of Carson; however, a new facility will provide stability and certainty for these families that we are grateful for.”
A safety assessment determined the school should be replaced after a landslide in 2021 revealed that the current Carson Elementary site does not meet B.C.’s guidelines for safety against sliding. As a short-term solution, the school district has relocated four classes to portables on the south field. In 2022, government provided $2.1 million for the district to purchase a site for the future school. The replacement school is expected to begin construction in spring 2024 and be ready for students in fall 2025.
“The Province is making investments in Quesnel to build capacity and support the community for future generations. This includes a $52.2-million investment for the recently opened Quesnel Junior school,” said minister Singh.
READ MORE: Portables arrive at Carson Elementary School
READ MORE: Landslide forces closure of Carson playground
***
Don’t miss out on your local news. Direct access is only a couple of clicks away, to have the paper delivered, or get the daily updates…
