By Colleen Flanagan, Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows News
No more orange and brown coloured lockers.
Students who will be attending Pitt Meadows Secondary School in the future have much to look forward to with the building of a brand new school – including updated lockers.
And, on Friday, Sept. 18, that future took one more step towards reality as shovels officially went into the ground to mark the start of construction.
At the ground-breaking event, Cheryl Schwarz, deputy superintendent with SD42, and other dignitaries, talked about how deep-rooted the school is to the community.
“When I had the privilege of serving as administrator at Pitt Secondary for six years, one of the things that struck me the most was the incredible connectedness of the community,” said Schwarz.
“As I met students and their families, I discovered that many parents had attended the school themselves. And, in some cases, even their grandparents had walked these same halls,” she said, noting it is that sense of history, connection, and belonging that makes the school truly special.
Katzie First Nation Elder Ed Pierre was also there to mark the construction milestone, noting he attended the school starting in Grade 8.
He said the new school will allow future students have big dreams for themselves.
The new school was identified as a priority project by the Ministry of Education and Child Care in March 2023 and funding for the replacement of the school was announced in August 2024.