The discovery of asbestos in Westmount elementary means students displaced by an act of arson won’t return to their school until the new year.
“We’re definitely not going back before Christmas,” said Jelena Hansen, chair of the school’s Parent Advisory Council.
“Worst case scenario we don’t get back in this year. Best case scenario, for me personally, I think April would be amazing. Right after spring break. That would be my goal.”
Police and firefighters were summoned to Westmount elementary in the early morning hours of Oct. 26. Fire crews quickly extinguished the flames, but damage to the school roof and library below led to the building’s indefinite closure.
In early November, it was revealed that asbestos was found in the ceiling. Hansen said tape testing is now being done to determine the level of contamination in the building.
“At this time that is the information we have. We still have to wait back for testing,” she said.
Hansen is at the school every day for bus duty and sees that work is being done. She said lights are on and parts of the school are sectioned off for testing. Until those test results come back, parents have no idea when their students will return to Westmount.
That being said, the children are in good spirits and settling in to their temporary schools. Five classes of kindergarten to Grade 3 students are at Kay Bingham, three classes of Grade 3 and 4 students attend Parkcrest, and three classes of pupils study at George Hilliard.
The kids enjoy taking the bus, said Hansen. And the other schools have been very welcoming to them.
“I feel like the kids have settled where they are. I mean the kids are much more resilient than adults are,” she said. “A lot of the kids are loving the bus ride. Most of the kids weren’t used to taking the bus.”
The parents have stepped up as well, taking attendance at the bus stop in the morning and making sure everyone has returned safely after school.
“Our community is pretty awesome,” she said.
Kamloops-Thompson School District interim superintendent Mike McKay said the district is doing everything it can to get Westmount students back in their school as quickly and safely as possible.
However, when it comes to the removal of asbestos, it doesn’t pay to rush things. McKay said a competitive bid process is underway for its removal and it’s a fair process that takes time.
“What we know about asbestos, you don’t take any shortcuts. So there will be equipment and soft materials that may have miniscule evidence of contamination, but they need to be removed,” said McKay.
He hesitated to confirm a potential date to reopen.
“It’s going to be as soon as possible,” said McKay.
The fire is believed to be an act of arson and RCMP continue to investigate. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Kamloops RCMP Detachment at 250-828-3000, quoting file number 2025-35751.