SOOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Community Collaboration at Core of School Additions in Colwood and Langford

The Sooke School District has awarded the prefabricated addition construction contract at David Cameron Elementary and Ruth King Elementary to EXO Construction Group. EXO Construction Group is based in Surrey, B.C. and has experience in school improvements, renovations and addition projects. StudioHuB based in Vancouver, B.C., is responsible for the design of both prefabricated additions. The School District and EXO Construction have committed to delivering both additions in time for the start of the 2024/25 school year. The prefabricated additions were an out of budget cycle investment from the Ministry of Education and Child Care announced on October 31, 2023 to address the rapid growth in the urban communities of Colwood and Langford.

The design and civil construction at each site are well underway to meet the tight timeline of the project. "I take pride in the relationship fostered between the municipalities in our region and the School District. While the school board holds ownership, we recognize that our schools are a communal asset, with benefits extending to the entire community," said Board Chair Amanda Dowhy. "This realization underscores the significance of our partnerships, positioning them as crucial contributors to our shared success."

In the spirit of collaboration to deliver on projects of mutual benefit to extend the public dollar whenever possible, the School District signed Memorandums of Understanding with the City of Colwood and the City of Langford in May 2021. "The cost and efficiency savings Colwood is able to leverage by working with partners like the School District are invaluable," said Mayor Kobayashi. "Coordinating Colwood sidewalk upgrades on Hagel Road with School District improvements at David Cameron Elementary creates opportunities for collaborative design, shared resources, and shorter project timelines."

With the significant growth pressures in the region, the School District and municipalities aim to become a model of collaboration and cooperation to meet the needs of residents today while planning together for tomorrow. "As one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, the City of Langford is pleased to see this much needed addition to Ruth King Elementary," said Langford Mayor, Scott Goodmanson. "The City values its longstanding partnership with the Sooke School District and will continue to work with the District for the benefit of current and future generations of students."

Flythrough Video of Prefabricated Additions: Expansions | Sooke School District (sd62.bc.ca)