School District 47 has announced Yellowridge Construction Ltd. as the design-builder for the new Westview Elementary School to be built over the next two years.
The design will be presented to the public at an open house at Grief Point Elementary School on Tuesday, March 8. The district is inviting stakeholders and the public to take a look at displays showcasing the new school.
After a long process of assessing proposals and coming down to the final design and contractor, the district decided to go with the Port Moody-based company and its design for the school. Yellowridge is the company behind the Powell River Kiwanis Housing Project and has extensive experience working in coastal communities, according to a press release from the district. It is partnering with Vancouver-based architectural firm KMBR Architects Planners Inc., which has “extensive experience designing schools in British Columbia.”
“Yellowridge was the proposal that represented the best value for the school board,” said district secretary-treasurer Steve Hopkins. “They were all good but when you look at the evaluation across the board, it presented the best value.”
The board approved the selection of Yellowridge from three design finalists. Hopkins said that the companies were given the near $14-million budget to work with, so it really came down to design quality rather than cost. The three finalists started work on their designs before last summer.
The school will include 12 classrooms, four kindergarten and pre-kindergarten rooms, a full-size gymnasium, a library, special education facilities and multi-purpose spaces. With funding from the ministry of education, the school will also incorporate a Neighbourhood Learning Centre which will include spaces for early learning programs such as Success by Six and the ORCA (On the Road with Children’s Activities) Bus. The gymnasium and all change facilities will be fully wheelchair accessible.
The school will be built with environmental practices in mind and is expected to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification of gold, the second highest level. Construction is due to begin in April.
The open house will run from 4 to 7 pm. Consultants will be on hand to answer questions.
