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Opening of new Langford school delayed by shortage of labour, materials

Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School is located at 3100 Constellation Ave. in Langford, B.C., on the same property as the new Pexsiseṉ Elementary School. (CTV News) Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School is located at 3100 Constellation Ave. in Langford, B.C., on the same property as the new Pexsiseṉ Elementary School. (CTV News)
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A new middle school that was set to welcome its first students next month in Langford, B.C., will not open as planned due to construction delays.

Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School was expected to open at 3100 Constellation Ave. on the same property as the new Pexsiseṉ Elementary School, which is being built in tandem with the middle school.

But in a letter sent to Sooke School District staff Tuesday, superintendent Scott Stinson said "construction delays caused by material and labour shortages" will prevent the school district from taking possession of the building "for several weeks."

In a public statement Wednesday, the district said it expects to occupy Centre Mountain Lellum in early November.

Pexsiseṉ elementary is still scheduled to open to students on time next month, according to the superintendent.

The two schools combined are expected to welcome 1,200 students for the 2022-2023 school year.

CONTINGENCY PLAN

Students who were due to attend Centre Mountain Lellum will be assigned to three other schools in the district until the new building is ready.

Grade 6 students will be taught in portables at Spencer Middle School on Goldstream Avenue; Grade 7 students will be taught at Pexsiseṉ; and Grade 8 students will be sent to portables at Dunsmuir Middle School on Painter Road in Colwood, B.C.

The school district says the contingency schools were chosen based on the available space for each cohort.

Construction of the new Langford schools was roughly 25 per cent complete in March 2021, when the B.C. government issued a media release about the $88.6-million construction project.

The superintendent said in the letter that district staff are working hard to get students into the new middle school and said more detailed information will be provided "in the coming days and weeks."

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