Crowding into the back field, hundreds of Belmont high school students cheered and chanted his name, hailing Ravi Parmar as a young folk hero.

The 16-year-old novice activist helped organize and lead last Friday's student walkout at Belmont secondary to protest conditions in the aging school, and to call on the province to fund the Sooke School DistrictB次元官网网址檚 plan to build two new high schools.

To the blaring honks of passing cars on Jacklin Road, students in dust masks waved placards outlining a litany of perceived problems in Belmont B次元官网网址� poor air quality, duct taped floors, a leaky roof, asbestos in the walls and mould in lockers.

B次元官网网址淏elmont is in very bad condition,B次元官网网址� said Parmar, who staged the walkout with the help of Logan Howes. B次元官网网址淭here are danger signs on walls saying asbestos. We really need two new high schools.B次元官网网址�

He began a petition about a week ago, not long after reading a report stating several Belmont classrooms didnB次元官网网址檛 meet air quality standards recommended by WorkSafeBC, including room 242, where he has French class.

Outraged, he organized and circulated a petition around the school and community. A student walkout was the next natural step to drive the message home.

B次元官网网址淲e decided to take things into our own hands to create change,B次元官网网址� Parmar said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 getting really exciting. WeB次元官网网址檝e had lots of great support from students, teachers and the community.B次元官网网址�

By any measure, the noisy but well-behaved rally and ParmarB次元官网网址檚 petition, now with more than 1,700 signatures, were a roaring success. Juan de Fuca MLA John Horgan plans to present the petition to Education Minister George Abbott. On Tuesday, Parmar is scheduled to meet the minister at the legislature with Horgan and fellow NDP MLA Maurine Karagianis.

B次元官网网址淚 just want Minister Abbott to know the condition of the school from a student perspective,B次元官网网址� said Parmar, who plans to study political science in university with the goal of becoming a politician. B次元官网网址淚 know he has a very, very hard job and IB次元官网网址檓 honoured to meet him.B次元官网网址�

Belmont and school district officials walked a fine line of not condoning the student walkout, but not standing in the way.

Certainly it helped that part of the studentsB次元官网网址� message jived with SD 62B次元官网网址檚 years-long effort to convince the Ministry of Education that West Shore student growth and the size and age of Belmont demands new high schools.

B次元官网网址淲e do understand their frustration in the lack of movement. And itB次元官网网址檚 good to see students involved and taking part in the democratic process,B次元官网网址� said assistant superintendent Dave Betts. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 their right to have their voice heard, and thatB次元官网网址檚 a good thing.B次元官网网址�

But SD 62 officials may be gritting their teeth at the studentsB次元官网网址� public assertion that the building itself is infested with rats and asbestos, and is an overall health hazard.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an older but safe building. We wouldnB次元官网网址檛 put kids into a building thatB次元官网网址檚 not a safe facility,B次元官网网址� Betts said. B次元官网网址淲e regularly do maintenance on Belmont.B次元官网网址�

The Pacific Environmental Consulting report from April indicated three rooms had elevated levels of carbon dioxide, but fungal levels were well below what is seen in the outdoor environment.

Peter Godau, SD 62 facilities manager, said the three rooms in question are not part of the schoolB次元官网网址檚 larger air circulation system, but maintenance staff are working on ways to improve airflow into those areas.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a health hazard, it didnB次元官网网址檛 fail or anything like that,B次元官网网址� Godau said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not uncommon to see (elevated carbon dioxide) happen in offices or classrooms.B次元官网网址�

Remaining asbestos in the building is sealed in walls and leaks in the roof are repaired as they arise. A bigger problem are leaks through the old blocks of the building envelope, Godau said.

B次元官网网址淟eaks are tough to find in the building envelope and need attending to,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e do what we can. ItB次元官网网址檚 a large school, two blocks long and needs maintenance all the time.B次元官网网址�

Belmont principal Carl Repp said the facilities department does an admirable job keeping the school running, but for him, the biggest concern is the buildingB次元官网网址檚 need for seismic upgrading B次元官网网址� an expensive project and one of the key financial arguments behind the drive to build new high schools.

He also noted the rate of student growth and the need to re-configure grades to bring Grade 9 into the high school, will fill BelmontB次元官网网址檚 sports fields with portable classrooms.

B次元官网网址淲e have a bulge of elementary students moving through and weB次元官网网址檝e got to create space,B次元官网网址� Repp said. B次元官网网址淚f Grade 9s move into here, it will be portable city.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com