Dear Families for School Seismic Safety (FSSS) Supporter:
We would like to share with you the update that we received on the status of the Vancouver School Board’s seismic upgrade program:
* Van Tech Secondary and Kerrisdale Elementary are under construction
* Dickens Elementary and Sexsmith Elementary are being replaced
* Work in the following schools is in the Feasibility Study stage with construction starting in 2007 or 2008:
o John Oliver Secondary
o Cook Elementary
o Fleming Elementary
o L'Ecole Bilingue Elementary
* The VSB's staff will be seeking board committee approval next week to begin feasibility studies for:
o Quesnel Elementary
o Trafalgar Elementary
o Moberly Elementary
o
* In addition to this, VSB staff expect to start feasibility studies in the fall for:
o Kitsilano Secondary
o Strathcona Elementary
o Secord Elementary
o Carleton Elementary
o Gordon Elementary
o
o Queen
o Begbie Elementary.
* The district is also expecting additional approvals for Killarney Secondary and 10 more elementary schools to be announced in May 2006. Construction for these could start as early as summer 2008.
The Ministry of Education has several new initiatives underway, including a provincial ranking list (to be ready for the 2007-2011 Seismic Plans, which must be submitted in Oct 2006) and further work with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (APEG) and UBC on improvements to reporting and assessment systems for seismic mitigation.
We at FSSS would welcome hearing from any of you who are in other districts and want us to send out updates on your own district’s program (you may have to acquire the information from your district staff).
Thank you.
Kind regards,
Families for School Seismic Safety