The scheduled opening of the new Westside Secondary School recently reached a construction milestone.

School trustees and administration staff were on hand to sign the final beam installation, sometimes referred to as topping out, which marks the completion of a building's structural framework. 

The ceremony called for signatures to be added to the final beam by various stakeholders, including the project construction team, school district officials and other stakeholders. 

It is meant to symbolize the project's progress, unity and the start of the next phase of construction. The new school is scheduled to open in 2027. 

Julia Fraser, Central Okanagan Board of Education chair, said the building of a new school for any school district is a significant addition, signifying the development of a place of learning for future generations. 

"The new high school will be a place for students to belong, to learn and thrive," she said. 

Funding for the new school was approved in February 2022, a 1,200-seat secondary school located at the repurposed site of what was 脡cole George Pringle Elementary. 

The province allocated $102.7 million to build the new school, with Central Okanagan Public Schools kicking in $3 million. 

The new school will be a state-of-the-art facility both from an instructional technology and construction standpoint, outfitted with appropriate lab and trades shop spaces, three gymnasiums, two full-size sports fields, high-efficiency HVAC and lighting systems to address greenhouse gas reduction strategies and use of non-combustible building materials compatible with the climate change era.

It will help alleviate the enrolment stress at both Mount Boucherie Secondary, which currently has more than 20 portables on site, and Ecole 91大黄鸭 Secondary, which presently accommodates the Westside French Immersion program students.