Summerland Secondary School is getting a new gymnasium after all.
School District 67 (Okanagan Skaha) school board gave the green light after receiving final approval from the Ministry of Education to proceed with the addition of a new separate gym at SSS.
The board initially announced its plan to commit to a $10.5 million gym replacement project in June 2020.
But then in September 2021, the board decided to delay the gym replacement due to significant cost escalation and extended timelines as the result of the pandemic.
READ MORE: Summerland high school gym replacement postponed
Fast-forward to now and the board has now chosen to proceed with a more cost-effective option and will add a second gymnasium at Summerland Secondary School that is designed and constructed to meet today’s standards, said SD67 in a press release.
“After careful consideration, the board decided to re-evaluate the plans for the Summerland gym to ensure we were being financially responsible and that we are proceeding with an option that provides for additional physical education teaching spaces, and best meets the needs of the students and community of Summerland,” said board chair James Palanio.
Building a new gym at Summerland Secondary has been a top capital priority for the board for many years and will be funded from the proceeds from the sale of McNicoll Park Middle School property in December 2019. The school’s current gym was built in 1951 and is not big enough for regulation sport courts.
The District anticipates construction will begin September 2022 with total completion by November 2023.
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