A long-awaited new school in Vancouver’s Olympic Village neighbourhood is one step closer to reality, with the province saying a budget has been finalized for the development.
The school is expected to have capacity for 630 students. The four-storey building will also feature a learning centre and space for child-care and an associated play area.
The facility is set to receive more than $150 million from the province, and is expected to be complete by the fall of 2029.
The City of Vancouver is providing a 99-year lease for the site, with Mayor Ken Sim saying the location of the new public elementary school “is poised to become the beating heart of the Olympic Village.”
Finance Minister Katrine Conroy hinted at updates about the Olympic Village school while delivering Budget 2024 in February.
In addition to finalizing the budget for the new school in the Vancouver neighbourhood, the province said Friday that Henry Hudson Elementary would also receive additional spending and be expanded to include space for 145 more students.
Henry Hudson, which is currently under construction, is set to receive an additional six classrooms, bringing the capacity to 535 students. The school is set to be completed by 2025.
Budget 2024 included $3.8 billion for capital projects over the next three years. The funding is aimed at new and expanded schools, as well as upgrades and replacements, the province says.