The province has announced its share of funding for a new Parkcrest school, committing nearly $35 million toward a new kindergarten to Grade 6 facility with room for more students, a learning centre and larger gym.
The old school, which was gutted by a devastating fire in September 2019 and later demolished, had room for about 390 students.
Construction will begin on the new 510-seat school in the summer of 2022, with opening day expected to be in the spring of 2024.
For its part, the Kamloops-Thompson School District will pay $300,000, while the City of Kamloops will contribute $2.5 million for the additional space required for the planned larger gymnasium.
Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian said the money will allow the school to go from the standard elementary size to a full-size, multi-purpose gymnasium.
"This not only benefits students, but would also be available for booking by community and sport groups, providing much-needed access to indoor recreation space in Kamloops," Christian said.
The new school will be constructed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards, which the province said will "help to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving the school's annual energy costs."
It will also include a neighbourhood learning centre, which the province said can be used by those in the Brocklehurst community, as well.
After the school burned in 2019, some 360 students were displaced to George Hilliard elementary, which in turn displaced the Twin Rivers Education Centre, Four Directions alternative school and other programs, such as the Big Little Science Centre.
