St. John Paul II Academy has reached what school officials are calling a “major milestone” in the construction of its South Surrey campus.
In a news release issued last week, the Catholic high school announced it had submitted a rezoning and development permit to the City of Surrey, for its proposed location on 24 Avenue, just west of 184 Street.
“This is a significant step forward for the project,” said Troy Van Vliet, the board chair of the St. John Paul II Academy Foundation. “It allows the Foundation to initiate the formal engagement with city planners to get the new campus built. It means that city officials can begin their review of our building plans ensuring that all municipal requirements are met.”
The school opened in 2018 and since its inception has been operating out of space at Star of the Sea Hall (15362 Pacific Ave.). The inaugural class consisted of 18 Grade 8 students. Currently, Grades 8-10 are offered at the school, with Grades 11 and 12 to be added in 2021 and ’22, respectively.
The rezoning application includes a formal request to change “one or more” of the city’s existing regulations, the July 23 release notes. City council will seek input from city staff and other advisory bodies before deciding whether to grant permission for the development.
When plans for the school were announced two years ago, St. John Paul II organizers told PAN that construction was expected to be completed by 2020.
The recent submission, however, could not be submitted to the city before council passed its Redwood Heights Neighbourhood Community Plan, which is the area where the proposed school will be built. The Redwood plan was passed during a council meeting May 4.
“Having the Redwood Heights plan passed means that the city has now outlined the parameters developers are to work within for the area in how it is to be developed going forward,” said Nick Maile of Westbourne Projects, which is the company behind the project.
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