(Courtesy: City of Kimberley)

Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick and Purcell International Education (PIE) are off to China Thursday to seek investment into a world-class boarding school in Kimberley.

McCormick and PIE are hoping to secure $50 million for the school which will have about 450 students and over 100 permanent staff.

'I do have a trip to China to make some investor presentations with the folks that are looking to put the International Student School here in Kimberley,' McCormick told Summit 107. 'One of the partners is Chinese who is looking to put the school here and we're going to have some B.C. trade people along with us to help out.'

Duncan MacLeod, President of PIE previously told Summit 107 that the vision for the school is for it to be dorm-based and include a variety of after-school clubs and sporting opportunities while also attracting full-time professional jobs.

'The funding procurement piece centres on bridging the gap between a world-class learning opportunity and a location that's not in a world-famous place,' said MacLeod this summer. 'Attracting investments for international education to a place like Vancouver or Victoria, it's a different dynamic than it is attracting that type of investment to Kimberley.'

Needing about 30 to 50 acres for the school, McCormick had suggested the former Teck lands in Forest Crowne as a potential parcel, but they have yet to secure a location.

'It's going to include the sports school as part of the partnership so it's a cultural exchange school that's a fair size,' said McCormick.

It's expected that McCormick and PIE will be overseas for the investment trip for a full week.

The hope and intention is to have the school built and ready for class by September 2020.

原文链接：http://www.summit107.com/news/east-kootenay-news/kimberley-mayor-travelling-to-china-seeking-investment-for-international-school/