3,000 new student spaces to open in Langley

The B.C. government approved the construction of two new schools and announced the completion of an addition on another school in Langley on Monday.

The province says the new spaces will make room for 3,000 students in the growing township.

The two new schools, a middle school and a high school, will open in the Willoughby neighbourhood and share a joint campus.

The province it says it will invest $203 million into Smith Secondary School, which will make space 1,900 new students.

“This is the largest amount of funding provided by the Ministry of Education and Child Care for a school project in the province’s history,” the B.C. government said.

Another $103 million in provincial funding will go towards Smith Middle School — making 900 new spaces for students.

According to Langley Mayor Eric Woodward, the joint campus will eventually include four new playing fields, a dog park, playground, and finished natural spaces.

At Richard Bulpitt Elementary — also in Willoughby — the province says work is complete on a prefabricated addition that will open space for 150 more students.

The use of prefabricated construction, the province says, enabled the addition to be built quickly, with sustainable and energy-efficient designs.

No timeline was provided for the completion of the Smith schools.