Wonowon Elementary starts facility upgrades for people with disabilities

WONOWON, B.C. — Wonowon Elementary School is beginning upgrades and replacements to improve the facility and provide better access for people with disabilities.

According to a December 20th news release, the provincial government provided close to $17 million in funding for the school.

The project is said to make space for 20 additional students. 

“Next year, our students will be learning in a bright, updated space,” said Helen Gilbert, chair of the Peace River North Board of Education. 

Construction has an anticipated completion date of Fall 2025. 

“The changes will be good for students, staff, and the community. It will be exciting for the students to watch the building go up over the rest of this school year.”

The upgrades include the water well and filtration system and the installation of ramps to make the school more accessible to people with disabilities.

“This project will ensure more students in the Peace region can continue to learn, play, and grow in an accessible, modern school for decades to come,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure.

Since September 2017, the provincial government has invested close to $6 billion in new and improved schools, as well as land purchases throughout the province.

The release says the government investment has resulted in more than 42,000 new student spaces and more than 38,000 seismically safer seats in B.C. schools.

During that time period, the Peace River North School District received more than $65 million from the government.

Other projects that benefited from the funding include an eight-classroom prefabricated addition to Dr. Kearney Middle School, which is in design development, a new gym at Upper Halfway Elementary, which opened in December 2023, and the new Anne Roberts Young school, completed in September 2020.

“Our government’s historic investments in new and expanded schools are delivering quality learning environments that support students’ learning and growth,” said Minister Ma. 

More information on the province’s major capital projects can be found here.