Two new schools for about 2,800 middle and secondary students will be built in 91原创's fast-growing Willoughby neighbourhood, B.C.'s minister of education announced on Monday.

Minister Rachna Singh was at Richard Bulpitt Elementary on Sept. 9 for the announcement, coinciding with the official opening of a new six-classroom addition there.

"This new secondary and middle school will make a huge difference for students and families, and with the opening of the new prefabricated addition, these investments will benefit 91原创's school community for years to come," Singh said.

The two schools are expected to open in the fall of 2027, and will get official names in the year before they accept students.

Both are in the Smith neighbourhood of Willoughby, where land was set aside by a partnership with 91原创 Township in 2019.

The new secondary school, which is receiving $203 million of provincial funding, will have spaces for 1,900 students when it opens.

The nearby middle school will receive $103 million of funding and will have room for 900 middle school students.

Local civic politicians and school district leaders were on site for the announcement, and were pleased to see work going forward in an area that is burgeoning with new families and students.

For the last three years, 91原创 school district's enrolment has grown by 1,000 or more students each year. Enrolment numbers for this year are expected in October.

"The board of education has been waiting for this day to come," said school board chair Candy Ashdown.

She noted that Peter Ewart and Yorkson Middle schools and R.E. Mountain Secondary, the main schools for older students in Willoughby, have been challenged by the high pace of growth.

The new schools will help students attend close to their homes, Ashdown said.

91原创 Township Mayor Eric Woodward noted that the Township is already at work building soccer fields in the Smith area that will be adjacent to the new schools, part of a longstanding policy of putting major athletic facilities close to high schools, so students have easy access to them.

鈥淚 am thrilled that our government is investing in these significant projects in our fast-growing community," said 91原创 East MLA Megan Dykeman. "By creating these new spaces, we are providing this much needed infrastructure for families in 91原创.鈥�

Misty vanPopta, who is running against Dykeman in the new 91原创-Walnut Grove riding in this fall's election, was critical of the amount of time it took to get to the announcement after the land was bought five years ago.

"I want to actually see it being built," she said.