Kamloops Thompson school board five-year capital plan to run $167 million

KAMLOOPS – The Kamloops Thompson school district's new, five-year capital plan includes 73 projects and will cost $167 million.

The project slated as the school board's top priority is the replacement of South Kamloops Secondary School at a cost of roughly $49 million. 

The trustees recently dipped into the district's capital reserves, to the tune of $400,000 for renovations to the school. Supt. Karl deBruijn has said the board is not in a position to build a new school this year, so it was necessary to conduct renovations to keep school operational.

Listed next in order of priority are additions to Westmount Elementary School at an estimated cost of $10 million, and construction of a new school in Pineview Valley with a price tag of $14 million.

In addition to Pineview, the district has six schools on its list for replacement, plus one bus replacement and a number of mechanical upgrades.

The capital plan says the schools are "not falling apart" and maintenance will continue to be done. However, it includes a warning about the potential for a long wait between a request for provincial funding and receiving it.

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