One elementary school in Richmond receives seismic upgrade funding

One Richmond elementary school will receive funding to be seismically upgraded to the tune of $13.5 million.

The province has approved capital funding to do seismic upgrades to Diefenbaker elementary, in southwest Richmond.

This was the only major capital project approved this year for the Richmond School District, but there will also be several minor projects throughout the district.

Two high schools, Richmond Secondary and McMath, will have their dust extraction systems replaced. The Richmond Secondary project will cost about half a million dollars while the McMath project is budgeted at about $770,000.

Other capital projects that the province will pay for this year are lab ventilation upgrades at six high schools: Hugh Boyd, McRoberts, Burnett, McMath, Palmer and Richmond Secondary. The total budget is about $735,000.

Furthermore, LED lighting will be installed at McRoberts secondary and Ferris elementary to the tune of $636,000.

Blair elementary will also get a new hot water heater and other heat-related retrofits. This is budgeted at $64,000.