Here’s a juicy tidbit of back-to-school news. Kitsilano Secondary is finally getting a seismic upgrade. Construction will start shortly and students will attend class throughout construction. The school has been on the seismic upgrade list for years. The delay is attributed to needing to find a way to preserve the building’s 1927 heritage facade.
The project will cost $62.2 million for a redo of the current interior as well as the addition of an entirely new wing, all built to LEED standards.
Bouygues Building Canada will rebuild the interior of the school. The first phase of construction will be a new building on the southwest corner of the property, where the tennis courts are now. The first building will take about 30 months to complete and will include technology shops, art studios and science labs. Once it is complete, students will move in and the old school will be demolished and replaced.
Eventually the two buildings will be linked into an L-shaped building, with wings along Tenth Avenue and all the way along Trafalgar Street. The redesign also allows space for an all-weather field behind the building, where the gyms and shop areas are today.
The 18,800-square-metre, three-storey facility will include a new academic wing designed for individualized support as well as collaborative group work.
The project also includes a new library, three gymnasiums and a 350-seat theatre. Community groups will have access to a 2,500-square-metre neighbourhood learning centre that includes a weight room, meeting rooms and other amenities.
The school, which will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, should be completed in time for the start of the September 2017 school year, according to the VSB. Read more in the Vancouver Sun here.
Last modified: September 3, 2013
