Seismic Upgrade/Facilities Plan

Seismic Updates:

  • Architectural Scope of Work – updated Nov 2018
  • Nov 2019: Work in progress! check out the hazmat abatement work – there is a picture of WC with removed stalls and finishes:

Seismic Upgrading

Our Seismic Project Identification Report (SPIR) indicated that our school is ranked H1:  Most vulnerable structure; at highest risk of widespread damage or structural failure; not repairable after event. Structural and non-structural seismic upgrades required.  The ranking varies according to the various buildings in the school:

  • Main Building – High Risk
  • Gymnasium – Moderate Risk
  • Wood Frame Classrooms – Moderate/High Risk

The PDR was completed and the Project Agreement announced in the fall of 2018.

391514_orig

Our project manager from the VSB is Natasha Saksman who will be working with us through this process.  We will be moving offsite for the 2019/20 school year and hopefully returning to Wolfe latest by January 2021.

It’s reasonable to expect more parent involvement over the next year as the construction moves forward.

The VSB has recently created a progress update page specifically for General Wolfe: https://www.vsb.bc.ca/District/Planning_and_Facilities/current-capital-projects/Pages/Wolfe-Elementary.aspx. The Vancouver School Board has more information on its seismic page.

Long Range Facilities Plan

the VSB has posted it’s updated long range facilities plan in early 2016 (https://www.vsb.bc.ca/District/Planning_and_Facilities/Long_Range_Facilities_Plan/Pages/Default.aspx) which gives more information about all Vancouver school facilities, including seismic upgrading planning but also new school construction, school closings and other information relevant to the buildings.

The consultation process has finished and the Board of Trustees approved a proposal based upon stakeholder feedback on Tuesday 24th May. Stakeholder feedback taken from the Ipsos Survey identified the top priorities for VBE schools as:

  • Innovative and supportive learning environments
  • Seismically safe buildings

A significant majority of those people said they would be supportive of closing schools if it meant:

  • speeding up seismic upgrades (67%)
  • building new schools in areas of growth (72%)
  • combining two neighbouring schools to build a new school (67%)
  • a closed school could be used for community services (70%)
  • reducing VSB operating costs (56%)