Record staff
The provincial government has approved funding for a partial replacement and seismic upgrade to Georges P. Vanier Secondary.
Today, Comox Valley MLA Don McRae delivered the signed project agreement for a total of $33.8 million to Comox Valley school district (SD 71) board chair Tom Weber.
Construction is scheduled to begin after the contract is awarded in spring 2016, with a scheduled completion date of August, 2019.
"At $33.8 million, the seismic upgrades and improvements to GP Vanier Secondary represent the largest seismic and capital school project since 2001,” said Comox Valley MLA Don McRae. “As a former student and teacher at the school, I'm excited for this project to begin since it represents a new, exciting chapter in GP Vanier's rich history."
Phase one of the project will build a new section and transfer students to that area after work begins on the remaining phases in other areas. The areas under construction will be closed off from students and only re-opened when they are ready for student use.
The partial replacement of the school will be 31,000 square feet (2,880 m2) in size, and will have a functional design with six new science classrooms and eight regular classrooms for humanities studies. The project will also improve the 47-year-old school's ventilation and heating systems. The board is contributing $1 million towards the total project cost to upgrade mechanical and electrical systems.
"These improvements to GP Vanier Secondary signify a long-term commitment to student safety and families,” said Comox Valley Board of Education chair Tom Weber. “Students and staff will welcome updates to their school, which has served many communities for nearly 50 years.”
Students will continue to study in areas of the school which are not under construction, and portables will not be used during construction.