After three years, seismic upgrades announced for Ucluelet Secondary School (USS) have officially been completed. A similar project at Ucluelet Elementary School has also been finished.
Among the upgrades at USS include a new music room, administration offices, classrooms, a library, and a neighbourhood learning centre that can be used for additional child care space within the community.
“We know it’s vital that children have safe places to learn and grow, and I’m pleased that the seismic projects are complete at both Ucluelet Secondary and Elementary schools,” said Minister for Education and Child Care Jennifer Whiteside in a press release.
MLA for Mid Island-Pacific Rim Josie Osborne added that “[s]chools are the heart of so many rural communities like ours, and Ucluelet and Tofino families have long advocated for improvements to Ucluelet Elementary school and Ucluelet Secondary school, which serve five west-coast communities.”
The project to upgrade the schools cost the Government of B.C. $44.8 million. Renovations were done on the gym and shop classrooms at USS to improve safety in case of an earthquake, and the entire structure of UES was replaced, along with giving the school all new classrooms.
The upgrades to USS come as part of a project from the B.C. government which has now provided seismic improvements to 59 schools across the province.