By Grant Warkentin
Thanks to a united campaign by Carihi parents and students, the province will finally take action to fix the damage caused by a fire in November, 2024.
Campbell River School District 72 announced today (June 4) that it “has received official approval from the province for funding to rebuild key facilities at Carihi Secondary School” which allows repairs to finally go ahead for the gym and A-wing.
“We know how important these spaces are for students, staff, and the wider community,” said Craig Gillis, chair of the school board, in a statement. “We appreciate the strong advocacy from our community and our shared commitment to restoring Carihi Secondary.”
The district is now working on timelines, requests for proposals, and construction plans, with details to be shared as they are confirmed.
According to a report in the Campbell River Mirror, the province has approved $25 million for the repairs.
The Strathcona Standard was the first media outlet to investigate why the school has remained in a damaged state since the fire; we reported our findings back in February.
Last month, the Carihi Parents Advisory Committee created a website and campaign to push the province to commit repair funding. On May 15, Carihi band students on an annual trip to Victoria requested and secured a meeting with the Minister of Infrastructure’s office to deliver a petition asking for funding to be committed as soon as possible.
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