In response to the growing educational needs of our community, the provincial government has approved the development of a business case for a new secondary school in the City of Langford. With the largest secondary schools in the Westshore operating at 133% capacity for Belmont Secondary and 114% for Royal Bay Secondary, the growth pressure is significant. A secondary school in North Langford has been identified through our Annual Five-Year Capital Plan Submissions to the Ministry of Education and Child Care as a priority.
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The business case will provide a detailed outline of the project's scope, schedule, and budget, serving as the blueprint for the future school. District staff are already planning, and we anticipate the completion of the business case within six months. While this timeframe is ambitious, we are committed to delivering a thorough and well-researched proposal to the provincial government.
When Will the School Open?
Once the business case receives final approval from the provincial government, we will unveil a detailed timeline for construction and the projected opening of the school. Once the funding approval is received from the provincial government, civil work and construction can take anywhere from 2-4 years depending on the project scope and complexity.
Where Will the School Be Located?
The specific location for the secondary school remains to be confirmed, the school district currently owns property on McCallum Road (Langford) intended for a future secondary school site. As a growing district, we continue to explore land acquisitions and plan for the future. We also own properties in the following areas:
- North Langford – projected future elementary school site
- South Colwood – projected future elementary school site
- Sooke River – projected future elementary school site
Thinking About School Design
We are collaborating closely with community service providers and partners to maximize the potential of the future school space. The business case proposal will include design space for a neighbourhood learning centre which is typically shared space for community service providers that reflect the unique needs of the school and community which could be health services, recreation, culture and childcare providers.
The City of Langford has pledged to fund a full-size all-weather field and lighting for the school, Additionally, discussions are underway to explore the possibility of incorporating a large theatre into the school's design. Our hope is to have a theatre big enough to host our own graduation ceremonies.
Planning for Growth
The Board of Education will approve its Annual Five-Year Capital Plan Submission at the June 25th public board meeting to submit to the Ministry of Education and Child Care. It identifies priority capital plan projects for the following fiscal year and identifies future year capital priorities. The Annual Five-Year Capital Plan Submission will be shared publicly following the June public board meeting.
Our capital plan submission for the previous year can be viewed here: District Growth | Sooke School District (sd62.bc.ca)