Peter Milobar and Todd Stone announced a promise to fast-track Parkcrest Elementary rebuild and an additional $85 million for three capital projects in the Kamloops-Thompson School District (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

ELECTION 2020

B.C. Liberal candidates promising to fast-track Parkcrest Elementary rebuild, local NDP candidate says it’s on track to open in 2022

Oct 21, 2020 | 12:10 PM

KAMLOOPS —It’s been more than a year since students and families watched Parkcrest Elementary School. Thirteen months later, the school grounds remain bare.

At the time of the fire, Education Minister Rob Fleming promised the project would be fast-tracked, given the circumstances.

The two local Liberals candidates feel that is not happening. Standing on the empty grounds on Wednesday, they promised, if a BC Liberal government is elected, to ensure Parkcrest is built and operational by September 2022.

“We’re hearing from this NDP government that they would make it go through the regular capital process, further delaying and making it compete with other capital committments around the province. That is wrong and needs to be corrected,” said Liberal candidate in Kamloops-North Thompson Peter Milobar. “Todd Stone and myself are very clear that this needs to remain what it is — an insurance claim, an insurance replacement, and it needs to be truly fast-tracked.

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The NDP candidate for Kamloops-North Thompson [Sadie Hunter] indicated it was being fast-tracked. Three weeks later, her leader John Horgan was in town, saying he didn’t even know about the project, let alone that it was being fast-tracked.”

Hunter, who’s also on leave as a city councillor, says plans have been in the works between the province, city and district. She says it’s on track to be completed during the same timeline the Liberals are promising.

“I know it’s hard. Unfortunately, these things take longer than a year,” said Hunter. “It’s an insurance claim, and if you’ve ever had to make an insurance claim it can be complicated and drawn out. But we are ready to go and we’re hoping to have students in Parkcrest, on that site by 2022.”

Milobar responded saying “the NDP candidate for Kamloops-North Thompson [Sadie Hunter] indicated it was being fast-tracked. Three weeks later, her leader John Horgan was in town, saying he didn’t even know about the project, let alone that it was being fast-tracked.”

In the same announcement Wednesday morning, the Liberals pledged $85 million to take care of the Kamloops-Thompson School District’s top three priorities, including new schools in Pineview and Batchelor Heights. However, it’s been 19 years since a new school was built in the district — Pacific Way Elementary in 2001.

The Liberals were in power most of that time and didn’t help then. Stone and Milobar argue the lack of new builds and improvements came down to dropping enrollment numbers at the time.

“Enrollment actually declined by about 18 per cent over a 10-year period leading up to 2016 where enrollment then levelled off and stop declining, and it’s been increasing,” said Stone.

Hunter doesn’t buy it. She wonders why now the sudden interest in investing in new schools?

“I think that’s a question everyone should be asking and something everyone should be thinking about,” she said. “The fact is that the Liberals closed 250 schools, where the NDP has committed to or is already building over 100 schools across the province, including the expansion in Valleyview, which is going to add 500 seats for students in Kamloops.”