It may still be the dog days of summer, but the provincial government is gearing up for the school year with the announcement that a project agreement has been signed, paving the way for the new $22.7-million middle school in Yorkson.
The middle school will accommodate 750 students in Grades 6 to 8 and by all predictions will be overcrowded before it even opens. The project includes space for a Neighbourhood Learning Centre (NLC) that will deliver a range of community services to area residents, said the Ministry of Education. It is expected to open in September 2014.
Close to 150 jobs will be created during construction. The school will be built to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standard to minimize environmental impact while increasing energy efficiency.
Currently, two school projects are underway in Langley. Construction will start shortly on the new $12.6-million elementary in South East Yorkson and the new $12.8 million Lynn Fripps Elementary is scheduled to welcome students on the first day of school.
The location of the new elementary school will be at 209 Street and 77 Avenue. The middle school will built on 84 Avenue, west of 208 Street.
The Langley school district is one of the few districts in the province where K-7 student enrolment is growing. In 2011-12, 10,930 elementary school students were enrolled in the district.