The Kamloops-Thompson School District will donate $5,000 towards Hazel Trembath Elementary School in Port Coquitlam, which was destroyed in a fire last month.

Trustee John O’Fee, who is chair of the SD73 Finance and Planning Committee, says the money – which will be earmarked for the Coquitlam School District’s Education Foundation – will come from surplus revenues from School District 73’s business company.

“We have suggested [taking this money] from our business company, not from school operations,” O’Fee said.

“This is a profit-making enterprise that we have for international students. We suggested that we take $5,000 from that and apply it towards the donation.”

Secretary-Treasurer Trina Cassidy says SD73 got about $26,000 in aid from the Kamloops community, other school districts, and people across the province following the fire which destroyed Parkcrest Elementary in Kamloops in Sept. 2019.

“On October 14 of this year, Hazel Trembath elementary school located in Port Coquitlam was destroyed by fires. So very similar to what our district experienced in 2019,” Cassidy told the Board of Trustees during the Oct. 30 meeting. “This school was home to more than 250 students and staff.”

“Since the fire occurred, School District 43’s education foundation has received donations already in excess of $70,000 which is great. The superintendent has already indicated that all funds will be used Hazel Trembath over time.”

As was the case at Parkcrest Elementary, there were no injuries reported after the fire at Hazel Trembath.

Students who were displaced have been attending school at nearby George Hilliard Elementary over the past four years, with a rebuilt Parkcrest Elementary slated to open in spring next year.

George Hilliard Elementary is also set to reopen as a K-7 school in September as part of a significant school realignment in North Kamloops.