The New Walnut Park Elementary School Design looks to benefit both the community as well as address as the sinking foundation.
At a public meeting Thursday night, the School Board presented the prosed $26-million design of the new school.
After previous consultations with the public about what is needed, Secretary Treasures, David Margerm says new design will incorporate areas for community use including meeting spaces, a daycare room, and a larger kitchen for community events.
“It will be a new fresh building so you will see a lot more wood and window, and the natural light will make a big difference,” said Margerm.
Currently, the community does not utilize Walnut Park, but Margerm said funding for the new school is designated to make it a more multi-purpose building.
The building will also have the room to accommodate an additional 80 students.
Among other things the school design allows for a dedicated area for Indigenous programming, “there is more importance or onus placed on having those places in schools and having the school better reflect an aboriginal component,” said Margerm.
Margerm said the next step for the project is finalizing the design and finding a contractor and they will hopefully be able to break ground on the school come April.
“There is not a lot of new school build in northern BC because we just don’t have the pollution, so its been quite a good thing from the government that they have allowed us to build a new school and the community and kids will benefit from it,” he adds.