There has been no official announcement that the province will fund a new school in the Albion area of Maple Ridge, but the district is ready to expropriate land for the project.
The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school district already owns land at 24137 – 104th Ave., and wants to acquire the adjacent property, at 24093 – 104th Ave., for South Albion elementary.
That latter would contain the school, a neighbourhood learning centre, and a community centre, developed in partnership with the City of Maple Ridge.
The land to be expropriated is bare, and was acquired by the owners last year, said school board secretary treasurer Flavia Coughlan.
The board has made two written offers to purchase the property from the owner, dated Nov. 23, 2015 and Feb. 24, 2016. But according to the board, the owners have not accepted or made any counter offer in response to either from the district.
The proposed site of the school and community centre would be described as on the north side of 104th avenue, between 240th Street and Samuel Robertson Technical School.
The adoption of an expropriation notice bylaw is recommended by staff, and is on the agenda for school board trustees to consider tonight (Wednesday).
The vote must be unanimous.
Politicians with the school board and city have publicly maintained that the new project has not been approved by Victoria.
The board is to submit its proposal for the approximately $19 million facility by the end of this month.