Construction begins on safer classrooms in Richmond
Hundreds of elementary students in Richmond will soon have safer places to learn with construction starting on a seismic upgrade at Alfred B. Dixon Elementary school.
“With this work underway, we’re another step closer to safer schools for kids and a safer community for everyone,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “Parents want to know their kids are learning in safe environments and this project will benefit families and students in Richmond for many years to come.”
Alfred B. Dixon Elementary was built in 1958, with additions made in the following decades. With more than $31 million from the provincial government, the seismic upgrade will provide almost 400 students with safer learning environments along with more modern and upgraded facilities.
“This is a very meaningful project for our Dixon Dragons community,” said Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond-Stevenson. “This school was saved from closure in 2016 by dedicated parents and an upswelling of community support. I’m thankful our government is investing in the safety of our schools so that kids, teachers and staff can learn together in a safe environment.”
In the past seven years, the provincial government has approved $245 million to create more than 500 new student seats and more than 5,500 seismically safe seats in the Richmond School District. This includes three expansion projects and 13 seismic upgrades and partial-replacement projects at schools, such as James Whiteside, William Bridge and Howard DeBeck Elementary, which are providing more than 1,000 students with safe places to learn.
The seismic upgrade is expected to be complete by spring 2026 and is one of the many projects underway to make learning safer for kids in B.C. schools.
“Every seismic upgrade project represents a meaningful step forward in our district’s ongoing efforts to improve our schools,” said Heather Larson, board chair of the Richmond School District. “With a $31 million investment from the provincial government, this initiative provides students and staff at Dixon Elementary with a more modern and secure school for both learning and teaching.”
Since September 2017, the B.C. government has approved $4.9 billion for new and improved schools, and land purchases for schools in the province. This has resulted in more than 35,000 new student spaces and more than 35,000 seismically safe seats at B.C. schools.
To plan for growth, Budget 2024 has the ministry’s highest ever capital budget of $3.75 billion going toward building the education infrastructure that people in B.C. need.
Learn More:
To learn about the Richmond School District, visit: https://www.sd38.bc.ca
For more information about major public school capital projects underway, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/capital/major-capital-projects