Facilities staff were busy this summer, completing 98 projects at schools all across the district. Projects ranged from grounds work, structural improvements, mechanical upgrades and installations of lighting, flooring and roofing.
Staff from the Surrey Schools District Facilities Centre (DFC) were hard at work over the summer months, finishing 98 projects at Surrey and White Rock schools in B.C.'s largest and fastest-growing school district.
Despite contractor shortages and supply chain issues, DFC staff worked tirelessly to complete upgrades, improvements and repairs on time to ensure a smooth start to the 2024-25 school year.
The projects were funded by the operating budget and various funding envelopes provided by the Ministry of Education and Child Care, including the Annual Facilities Grant (AFG), Carbon Neutral Capital Program (CNCP), Playground Equipment Program (PEP) and the School Enhancement Programs (SEP).
The structural department finished a cladding upgrade to Mountainview Montessori and conducted restorations to Cloverdale Traditional, following a fire in the gym last year, and to South Meridian Elementary, which experienced a flood during the past school year.
Staff began work on relocating seven portables at Kwantlen Park and Tamanawis secondary schools. The electrical department was also busy providing electrical wiring for portables, including fibre, data, security, fire alarm, public address and power.
The grounds department was busy upgrading fencing, hard landscape, playgrounds and sports fields, and drainage at numerous school sites. Projects included:
- drainage improvements at Prince Charles Elementary;
- a parking lot upgrade at Cambridge Elementary;
- a retaining wall at Royal Heights Elementary;
- irrigation work at Queen Elizabeth and École Panorama Ridge secondary schools;
- playground surface upgrades at three elementary schools; and
- fencing upgrades at nine elementary schools.
Exterior painting was completed at 11 school sites, including Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary and the reopening Xw'epiteng Elementary. The former Hall's Prairie site also received an upgrade to its basketball court and was among several schools to receive asphalt repairs, alongside North Surrey Secondary and Henry Bose and Serpentine Heights elementary schools.
Partial roofing upgrades were being completed at Cedar Hills, Cindrich, Fraser Wood, Georges Vanier, Martha Jane Norris and William Watson elementary schools. Flooring upgrades were completed at Queen Elizabeth Secondary and Don Christian, Holly and M.B. Sanford elementary schools.
The mechanical department substantially completed boiler plant upgrades at Boundary Park, Janice Churchill and W.E. Kinvig elementary schools, as well as the first phase of a major ventilation upgrade at Peace Arch Elementary and a gym ventilation improvement at J.T. Brown Elementary. Lighting upgrades were also completed at Cougar Creek Elementary, allowing for energy savings.
The DFC's transportation department received two new electric fleet vehicles as part of the ongoing initiative to reduce the district's carbon footprint. Additionally, the department worked diligently to keep more than 170 maintenance vehicles moving throughout the busy summer for the various projects, along with transporting furniture and equipment between schools. Transportation staff also conducted maintenance and inspections of school buses to ensure they were fully operational for September.
A huge thank you to all our staff who worked through July and August to ensure our schools and grounds are ready to go for the new school year!
