In our last update, we explained that Hamber’s SMP was temporarily on hold and the Vancouver Project Office Steering Committee had put forward a request to the Ministry of Education for additional funds to cover the unforeseen rise in construction costs to build a new seismically safe Eric Hamber.

Yesterday the PAC received an email from Minister George Heyman, MLA for Vancouver-Fairview, **read it here** advising us that the Ministry of Education has approved additional funding to cover cost escalations to build a new base-design Eric Hamber as originally approved. No funds have been made available at this time for additions to the base-design school such as an auditorium or increased space for the arts, music, drama, and fashion design program.

His email mentions a proposal for additional Neighbourhood Learning Centre space (NLC) at Eric Hamber. Funding for this additional space has not been secured; however, we did receive verbal confirmation from Minister Heyman’s office yesterday that they are committed to making this NLC space work and that parents will have input into defining the proposed NLC space. There is no project timeline nor budget for this additional NLC space, that we are aware of, at this time.

The school-based Seismic Advisory Group was advised yesterday that they have shortlisted proponents to design-build the new replacement school. The shortlisted teams have been invited to respond to an RFP that was issued on July 31st. The proponents were also asked to include in their design considerations a possible future addition of a Neighbourhood Learning Centre. The preferred proponent will be selected and awarded the contract early next year.

It is positive that additional NLC space designs are being considered in the RFP process; however we’d like to reiterate, there is currently no funding available for the building of additional NLC space at this time. The only comparable seismic re-build project to date is Kitsilano Secondary. The Vancouver School Board subsidized the Kits build to the tune of $4m. The VSB has not come up with any funding for the Hamber project. We encourage you to write to the Vancouver School Board Trustees and the Superintendent and ask them, why not Hamber?

There will now be a desire to move Hamber’s seismic project forward as quickly as possible to avoid any additional cost escalation. We encourage you to write to your MLA, the Minister of Education, Minister George Heyman, the Premier, Vancouver City Council and the Mayor to express your concerns. Without the additional NLC space, Eric Hamber will be the first high school built in Vancouver using only the out-dated BC Area Standards (2003). Based on these standards, the new seismically safe Eric Hamber will be over 30% smaller than the existing school, but will house the same number of students. Our catchment is along the Cambie corridor and our area is experiencing unprecedented growth. How will a smaller school in our community be able to support the increased demand?

Write to your MLA and tell him/her that Eric Hamber will be below high schools in other provinces in per pupil instructional and gross area space allocations. It will not be enough space to support the redesigned BC curriculum. Other provinces are leading the way in updating area standards to align with 21st century school design principles, so why is BC falling behind? School size and design directly impacts teaching and learning conditions for our kids and future generations of kids who will attend Eric Hamber!

Hamber PAC