Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Planning begins for new seismically safe Cedar Hill Middle School
VICTORIA, BC – The Greater Victoria School District is in the early stages of planning for a new school for Cedar Hill Middle and is asking the school community and neighbourhood to be involved in the design process. The current school has an H-1 seismic ranking, the highest level of priority need and needs to be replaced.
The District is hosting an online information session next week to discuss the scope of the project, public engagement, timelines and potential use and design features for consideration.
In July 2021, the Province announced $42.9 million for a low-carbon, seismic replacement for Cedar Hill Middle. The District will contribute another $3.6 million, bringing the project total to $46.5 million.
The new building, serving 575 students, will be designed and constructed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and exceed LEED Gold Equivalent design, with more efficient heat pumps, and displacement ventilation in classrooms. These temperature and air systems will use renewable BC Hydro energy to minimize the use of natural gas and other fossil fuels.
The new school will set a new standard for sustainability in the District while providing facilities tailored to the needs of modern-day learning and student and staff well-being. It will also include a neighbourhood learning centre for additional community programming space.
The school community and broader public will be asked for input at three stages of design. The first information session to learn more about the process will be online on November 9, 2021. Staff, parents and guardians, and members of the community are invited to attend. The District will continue to consult in the coming months on design and other potential amenities.
Online Information Session
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting: https://gvsd61.zoom.us/j/62758837061?pwd=dGhDNU43WUU0L1BqQXZ6N0p1QXVadz09
An online survey will also launch following the information session and run until November 23, 2021. For more information visit: www.sd61.bc.ca
“We are just at the beginning of the process. Over the coming months, the District will be engaging students, staff, parents, Rightsholders, community members, and other stakeholders to help shape plans for the new Cedar Hill Middle School,” said Board Chair, Ann Whiteaker. “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. These ideas will help inform the overall design and the educational spaces that will benefit students and staff for years to come.”
The new school is scheduled to be completed by January 2025. The current school will remain open until the new school is constructed.
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For more information contact:
Lisa McPhail
Communications & Community Engagement
Greater Victoria School District
Office: 250.475.4103
