SOOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS RELEASE
COLWOOD, BC – The Sooke School District is exploring the creation of a vibrant community hub with the City of Colwood and The Village Initiative at the future South Colwood Elementary School site in Royal Bay. The land for the future school site was purchased back in March 2020 and is a priority ask for capital funding from the provincial government for a school. The proposed school design would include designated space for non-profit groups such as THRIVE and BGC (Boys and Girls Club) South Vancouver to better service the needs of community members.
The Sooke School District and City of Colwood signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2021 to work in partnership on projects of common interest and benefit to the community. A recent example of this partnership is the refresh underway for a new multi-sport surface at Dunsmuir Middle School. To strengthen the collaborative partnership and further stretch public dollars for the enhancement of community services, The Village Initiative with the support of THRIVE Social Services and BGC South Vancouver Island will join in as the third stakeholder. By designing and building a school site with community in mind, a range of services can be offered to better serve our communities.
“We at THRIVE and BGC South Vancouver Island are excited about the possibility of serving more children, youth and families with even better services thanks to this unique partnership with SD62,” said Scott Bradford, Executive Director, Thrive and Dalyce Dixon, Executive Director of BGC South Vancouver Island. “By utilizing spaces, places and shared resources, we demonstrate our commitment to utilizing every resource at our disposal across the community. The non-profit sector is a significant contributor to the health and well-being of our communities so a greater working relationship with our schools make such good sense.”
“By partnering with THRIVE and BGC South Vancouver Island through The Village Initiative, we can create a dynamic space that is more responsive to community needs at the future South Colwood Elementary School,” said Ravi Parmar, Chairperson of the Sooke School District. “The Sooke School District has a great relationship with the City of Colwood as we do with all of our local municipalities and we look forward to continuing discussions on how we can work together to create vital mixed-use spaces that support the health and well-being of the community through increasing access to a wide range of programs and services.”
“The City of Colwood is excited to explore these opportunities to make the new elementary school in Royal Bay more than just a school, but a vibrant hub for whole community, learning, health and wellbeing,” said Colwood Mayor Rob Martin.
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Media Contact
Kristen McGillivray (250) 686-3750
Manager of Strategic Communications
Sooke School District 62