Cedar Hill Middle School’s community and neighbours are being asked for ideas on designing a new $46.5-million seismically safe school.
The replacement school is scheduled to be finished by January 2025. The original building went up in 1931 and has gone through a number of improvements in subsequent years.
But the old school is deemed to be at high risk if an earthquake took place.
Funding was announced this summer from the province and Greater Victoria School District to construct a 575-student school featuring a neighbourhood learning centre for additional community programming space.
Students will remain in the old school until the new one is completed.
“We are just at the beginning of the process,” Ann Whiteaker, board chair, said in a Tuesday statement.
“We believe that success in planning a new school comes from listening and understanding the diverse wants and needs of the current and future school community.”
An online information session from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. is set for Tuesday to talk about the scope of the project, public engagement, timelines, potential use and design.
Go to the school district website for meeting details and a followup survey.
Consultation dates will be set up in the coming months to look at design and potential amenities, the district said.
Plans call for the new facility to be built using methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to exceed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold equivalent design.
It will have more efficient heat pumps and will feature ventilation systems that have slow-moving cool air come into classrooms near floor level. As the air rises, it warms as it reaches the people in the room. It continues rising and is emitted from the room.
This system is designed to decrease energy consumption and improve air quality.
The building’s temperature and air systems will use renewable B.C. Hydro energy to minimize the use of natural gas and other fossil fuels, the district said.
The goal is to set a new standard for sustainability among district schools.
