Fire destroys Parkcrest Elementary School, Sept. 5, 2019 (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Jill Sperling

Parkcrest Elementary

School district says rebuild of Parkcrest Elementary remains top priority one year after fire

Sep 4, 2020 | 2:47 PM

KAMLOOPS — Saturday (Sep. 5) marks one year since a fire destroyed Parkcrest Elementary School. Students were only a few days into the school year when the fire happened. Some watched in horror as their school was ravaged by the flames.

Students were not in the school at the time and no one was injured. However, the damage was so severe, investigators were never able to determine the exact cause.

School District 73’s Superintendent Terry Sullivan says the fire was heartbreaking for many Kamloops families.

“I was really saddened by the loss of the school,” he said. “Each school has a culture attached to it, it has a history attached to it. There were many, many people in the community who attended that school as children, whose children attended that school.”

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Sullivan is only five days into the job of superintendent of schools with the Kamloops-Thompson School District. Picking up where outgoing Superintendent Alison Sidow left off, he says rebuilding the school remains a top priority.

“We want to get a new school built as quickly as possible,” he said. “But, you know, it takes time. We just had the concept plan approved in July, just over a month ago.”

The Ministry of Education sent an emailed statement to CFJC Today saying, “Our government acted quickly after the fire and Ministry of Education staff have been working closely with the school district on a long-term plan for Parkcrest students, as well as the clean-up of the site. Ministry staff are working with the school district to finalize the Project Definition Report, which will include specific details about the re-build the school, so we can move forward on the project as fast as possible.”

The Ministry says more information about the project is expected to be released in the coming months.

“To build a new school is a two year project,” Sullivan said. “I mean, once we turn the sod, it’s two years. So, my best estimate is we probably would be looking at September of 2023 before we actually are done and children and staff can move into the school.”

While no one was injured in the fire, Parkcrest students were faced with many new stresses last school year. They lost their school and its contents and had to move into a new building all before the school year was paused due to a global pandemic.

“We will continue to support them in whatever way we can from here,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan adds the fire made the school district more mindful of fire safety.

“I think we just became more attuned to the importance of fire drills and having those drills done.”

Parkcrest students will return to their temporary home at George Hilliard Elementary School next week.