By Ian Holmes

Province doubles scope of expansion to crowded north Nanaimo school

Jan 24, 2019 | 11:01 AM

NANAIMO — The province will fund a much larger expansion at Hammond Bay Elementary than it originally pledged.

Education minister Rob Fleming announced Thursday upwards of $18-million for a wing of 12 new classrooms will be spent by the province on the chronically overcrowded north Nanaimo school.

He said construction is expected the break ground this year and be finished in time to open the 2021 school year.

“This school needs renewal, it’s not the right size for this community, this part of Nanaimo,” Fleming told reporters at the school.

The commitment to 12 classrooms is up from the promise in April, 2018 to fund the construction of six new classrooms.

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School district superintendent Scott Saywell said the classrooms will make room for 160 more students and help accomodate their rapidly growing French-immersion program.

“We’re getting near capacity in our schools. Adding some French immersion spaces will accommodate more students and it will release pressure on some of the surrounding schools as well,” Saywell said.

Hammond Bay Elementary principal Chrstine Bohm told NanaimoNewNOW the school is over capacity by 150 students, who are housed in five portables.

A new expanded Hammond Bay school gym was showcased during an assembly attended by the entire school and numerous dignitaries.

The event was capped by a volleyball game involving Hammond Bay Elementary senior students, who took on school district administrators and minister Fleming.

Ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes