The Government of British Columbia is providing $62.3 million to replace the 58-year-old school with a brand-new, seismically safer facility. The project also expands Handsworth’s capacity by 200 spaces to 1,400 to meet a growing student population.

“It’s time to bring a new, expanded and seismically safe school to Handsworth students,” said Minister of Education Rob Fleming. “Our government is doing things differently by working for families and making investments that support student safety. This project gives parents the comfort of knowing their children are going to school in a safe, positive environment.”

Handsworth Secondary was built in 1960 and needs to be replaced to ensure the safety of students, teachers and support staff in the event of a major seismic event.

“The North Vancouver Board of Education is very grateful for the $62.3 million in funding to replace Handsworth Secondary,” said North Vancouver Board of Education chair Christie Sacré. “Our board has worked very hard with the ministry over the last few years to have our schools seismically upgraded, and after Handsworth, we have only one building left with seismic needs. We are excited to be providing students with a new building that provides the 21st-century learning environment, which is seismically sound and will include environmentally sustainable features.”

Read the full article at BC Gov News: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018EDUC0004-000041