Vic High students hoping to return to their renovated school in February will have to wait a few weeks longer.
The move into the expanded $79.7-million Victoria High School has been put off until March due to delays in some of the interior work, which means students will have to stay a little longer in the former S.J. Willis Education Centre on Topaz Avenue, where they’ve been since construction began in July 2020.
The project’s most recent expected completion date before that was last September.
Principal Aaron Parker announced the latest delay in a letter to school families on Monday, saying flooring and electrical work won’t be completed in time for the scheduled return to the school’s historic Fernwood site.
“Although this work is nearing completion, following recent occupancy reviews, it was decided that the school could not be safely occupied by students and staff while this remaining work was completed,” he said.
Parker said work is progressing well with other parts of the building, and the artificial-turf field, parking areas and much of the landscaping are done.
“Student and staff safety are our top priority, and we are working with the contractor and consultants to ensure that the building meets city requirements for occupancy and that the remaining work is completed as soon as possible,” he said.
Parker said a move-in date will be announced “as the project moves closer to completion.”
Final landscaping on the building’s southeast side, including a grass field, will be completed in the spring.
The former S.J. Willis Education Centre, which operated as a junior high until 1983, was renovated to accommodate the Vic High community and will also be a temporary home for other schools for relocation for future seismic projects.
Vic High is the oldest high school west of Winnipeg and dates back to 1876, when it was started in a log building at what is now Central Middle School.
The new school retains the original facade and other historic features like stained glass and painted interior wood panels, and has room for 1,000 students — up from 800. It also has a neighbourhood learning centre that includes child-care spaces.
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