Province shares plan to rebuild Hazel Trembath School 2 years after fire

After two years of Port Coquitlam residents waiting, the B.C. government announced a plan Friday to rebuild an elementary school destroyed in a fire.

When Hazel Trembath Elementary burned down on Oct. 14, 2023, the City of Port Coquitlam and parents were promised a quick rebuild, but until now, the province had yet to commit to a construction project.

“Our government is working urgently to deliver a new school that will welcome students back as soon as possible,” said Mike Farnworth, MLA for Port Coquitlam.

Mayor Brad West says he’s pleased with the announcement and thinks local families will be relieved after “so much uncertainty and anxiety.”

“The other emotion I’m feeling right now is just a great sense of pride in our community, because from the moment tragedy struck, and that school burned down, our community rallied together. We rallied to support everyone who is impacted. We rallied to make sure that our kids had everything they needed. We rallied to support teachers and support staff, and then we rallied to make sure the province heard our voices,” said West.

He says he would have liked to have seen progress made sooner and hopes the province is more transparent about the rest of the process, but said Friday’s announcement marks a “really positive day.”

West says the city is committed to fast-tracking any necessary permits as soon as possible.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a project that’s finished ahead of time, even? Let’s make that a goal.”

Karen Polano, a parent of a student who was displaced by the fire, says it’s a relief, but she’s still frustrated.

“It’s not great, but it’s something,” said Polano.

“It took much too long.”

She considers herself one of the lucky parents who was able to easily transport her child to the new, temporary location.

The province says the new 240-seat school will be built on the former school’s site, starting in July 2026. It says the project will cost a total of $39 million and is set to be completed in December 2027.

Polano says the entire timeline has been “kind of ridiculous.”

“It should have been designed immediately and figured out much quicker.”

—With files from Ben Bouguerra and Sonia Aslam