In 2022 Pender Harbour Community School Society received $268,655 from the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF), two years later, it is yet to see its new facility.
The funding would allow for two new modular units and accessibility features including washrooms.
The community school supports lifelong learning opportunities by providing support services to students and families and is mainly funded through School District 46, Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), B.C government and project grants.
They also coordinate the Youth Restitution Program for Pender Harbour with Sunshine Coast RCMP and the BC Youth Justice Service Department.
Cheyenne Howitt, Pender Harbour Community School executive director, said their building was created off-site and is just waiting for the placement. She added they are doing one last push of fundraising, the Run to the Dice Ride, with the Royal Canadian Legion.
The community school expansion is tied to SD46’s plan to add a childcare facility in Madeira Park.
Nicholas Weswick, SD46 secretary-treasurer explained, “Due to site constraints, this project is dependent on our daycare construction, which has experienced delays. We hope to move forward with construction of the daycare project soon, but we don’t have a date set yet.”
Howitt said working with the school district has been great and that both sides are getting what they need, saying that they are now at the “red tape waiting game.”
Prefacing how important daycare is in the area, Howitt said that both the childcare facility and the community school enhancement will be great additions to the community.
“It'll be so nice for the families … we will have running water and space, and we won't be on a slant,” Howitt laughingly said. “It'll be really nice for all of the activities and programs that we run too.”
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
