The Sooke School District is hoping a Langford land purchase will ease some of the pressure on SD62 schools.
School district officials joined with representatives of the province to announce the purchase of a 7.2-acre parcel, earmarked for the development of a middle school.
The site – currently a gravel lot – is located at 2460 Gateway Rd., just around the corner from Costco in the North Langford area. The province provided $21 million of the $25 million needed to purchase the plot, with SD62 supplied the remaining $4 million.
This news follows the province's announcement in May that planning had been approved for a new secondary school, which will sit directly across from the newly purchased site. SD62 will have to apply to the province for funding needed to build the middle school.
“Once we are approved for the funding of a middle school, it’s generally about three to five years from the time that funding is approved to the time that we’re able to open doors to one of those schools,” said SD62 board chair Amanda Dowhy.
If approved, Dowhy hopes the project will help address the need for schools in Langford.
Between 2016 and 2021, Langford’s population grew by 31.8 per cent, compared to neighbouring areas, like Colwood and Highlands, which only grew by 12.5 and 11.6 per cent, respectively. SD62 expects this growth will result in 300 to 500 new students annually.
“By 2030, we’re expecting deficit [school] seats by about 2,700,” said Dowhy, who added that SD62 will have to continue to find ways to accommodate new students. “I don’t think there's ever an end to our needs until we’re done seeing the building growth that happens within the West Shore."
Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson said as one of the province's fastest-growing communities, there is a need for infrastructure, including schools, in the community.
"Projects like this new middle school will provide easy access to education, giving parents peace of mind knowing their children can safely commute to and from school by walking or biking through pedestrian and bike-friendly routes," he said.
