A Burwash school makes progress
A school for Burwash Landing – sought for more than a century – is inching closer to reality.
A school for Burwash Landing – sought for more than a century – is inching closer to reality.
On Thursday, the Yukon government and Kluane First Nation announced that a tender for an Owner’s Advisor has been posted on Yukon Bids and Tenders.
The Owner’s Advisor will provide expertise and guidance on the new school project. The tender is scheduled to close in February.
“Moving the current Kluane Lake School from Destruction Bay to Burwash Landing has been a longstanding request of Kluane First Nation,” the government and First Nation said in a statement.
In June 2020, they signed a memorandum of understanding outlining a commitment to plan and construct a new school in Burwash Landing, which is off the North Alaska Highway south of Beaver Creek.
“We are very proud to honour this longstanding request of Kluane First and to be working in partnership to build a new school in Burwash Landing that will allow Kluane First Nation citizens to learn and thrive in their community,” Education Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said in the statement.
“2021 will be 104 years since Kluane First Nation had asked for a school to be built in Burwash Landing,” said Chief Bob Dickson.
“We are pleased to be working in partnership with the Government of Yukon to build a new school. One that will be based on our language, culture, and traditions for all ages, and will be useful for education purposes and for the community as a whole.”
The school is expected to cost approximately $14 million.
Comments (7)
Up 2 Down 0
Old Yukon Gal on Feb 3, 2021 at 8:34 am
Such an extravagant expense for such a small population! What ever happened to the option of prefabs? If it's good enough for Grey Mountain School in Riverdale, which, by the way, was supposed to be a temporary facility 40 years ago, then it's good enough for Burwash/D Bay. Stop wanting Cadillacs when Volkswagons will do.
Up 3 Down 0
Charlie's Aunt on Feb 2, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Dan is correct, there was an earlier attempt & a school was opened in Burwash but it was not a success & fell flat. Facilities in D. Bay are old so decision for replacement is in location. Demographics change and future populations are unknown, but either way children will need to be transported to school from one of those communities. YT already has the land & structure in D. Bay, does it make sense to build new in Burwash, rather than upgrade existing premises?
Up 10 Down 2
Moose101 on Feb 1, 2021 at 5:39 am
There is a small school in D bay and the supporting residences for the teachers it seems to work just fine. So if we build a new school in Burwash I would presume there would be new teacher residences also built there at least another million. C'mon it is only 10 miles 16 km by Alaska highway to D bay that's less than a half hour ride. Most of our kids in the Whitehorse area ride a lot longer than a half hour on their bus to get to school.
Up 12 Down 3
Groucho d'North on Jan 31, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Golly, a ten mile school bus ride must surely be cruel and unusual punishment. And why over the long period of time wasn't a school built in Burwash? Previous ministers with financial responsibility and a sense of fairness to taxpayers knew it was not a worthy investment. But nobody panders like Liberals.
Up 14 Down 3
martin on Jan 29, 2021 at 11:04 pm
Nice! in an election year, nice! After they win, they will forget; same as Dawson's Rec Center/Arena/skating rink.
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Dan Davidson on Jan 29, 2021 at 3:42 pm
There was an earlier attempt to have a school in Burwash. It wasn't a success. Now that most of the kids attending the school in Destruction Bay come from Burwash it makes sense to try again.
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Yukoner on Jan 29, 2021 at 2:22 pm
10 people age 0-14 in Burwash from 2016 Census, and 5 in D-bay, new school defiantly warranted, only going to cost about $1 million per child and that's before the project runs well over costs, sounds about right.