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School board supports building new Cowichan Secondary

New Cowichan Secondary School would be built in Cowichan Place
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School board unanimously supports the construction of a brand new Cowichan Secondary School. (File photo)

Members of the new school board in the Cowichan Valley school district have unanimously supported construction of a new Cowichan Secondary School.

At its meeting on Dec. 4, the board voted to support a motion to submit the Cowichan Secondary School Project Definition Report to the ministry and fully endorse the construction of a new school.

RELATED STORY: FATE OF COWICHAN SECONDARY SCHOOL TO BE DECIDED BY 2019

The detailed report carefully analyzed three options for the school including seismic updating of the current 1,000-student capacity building.

The second option would be to add on to the current building to bring it up to a 1,500-student capacity building while also seismically updating it.

The third option was the construction of a brand new 1,500-student capacity building on the new Cowichan Place site, which is adjacent to Vancouver Island University.

After careful deliberation, option three, the construction of a new Cowichan Secondary School, was unanimously supported.

“The Board of Education is extremely proud to submit this Project Definition Report to the Ministry of Education and put our full support behind the construction of a new Cowichan Secondary School,” said Candace Spilsbury, chairwoman of the school board.

“District staff have diligently worked on this report, carefully analyzing each option, and coming forward with a strong business case for the construction of a new Cowichan Secondary School on the new Cowichan Place site. We know a new Cowichan Secondary School aligns with what students, staff, parents, and community have been asking for and we are proud to submit this on behalf of our communities.”

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The report will now be submitted to the Ministry of Education for consideration and a final decision on funding.

The replacement of the old school, built in 1949 and the largest secondary school in the district, is the No. 1 capital priority for the Cowichan Valley school district.