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AUGUST 2018 | 67 Georges P. Vanier Secondary School PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY IREDALE ARCHITECTURE Georges P. Vanier Secondary School by ROBIN BRUNET S eismic upgrading is an ongo- ing objective throughout the B.C. school network, but when the time came to make the Georges P. Vanier Secondary School in Courtenay, B.C. more resilient to earthquakes, Comox Valley School District #71 also saw an opportunity to breathe new life into the facility, which first opened in 1968. Ian Heselgrave, director of opera- tions for School District #71, explains, "Georges P. Vanier is a well-loved facil- ity that was expanded in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1989, and the interior had a very awkward flow, a courtyard that had become enclosed, and many other shortcomings. We also had issues with hazardous materials and completely out- dated mechanical and electrical systems. "So although we were on the list to receive a seismic upgrade in 2012, we dug in our heels to resolve many of these issues at the same time. Technically it would have been easier to demolish the building and start over, but we had to abide by budget considerations; plus, the red tape necessary to develop a new facility could have set us back 10 years, which wasn't acceptable." Due to scrupulous planning, a $33.8-million budget covers a seis- mic upgrade of the existing school and replacement of the 1968 school admin- istration, science wing, staff room, and student washrooms. Configuration of the existing school reflected 1968 school design and required substan- tial reconfiguration to reflect present Ministry of Education curriculum. School reconfiguration included the relocation of the learning commons to the centre of the school, making it a major focal point; a new science super lab with a large open area of supported lab stations connected to adjacent teaching spaces; a new auditorium/ multi-purpose room, which would, in combination with the existing drama space, provide flexible space for school programming and fine arts events; and a new space for an Aboriginal education room with access to an out- door courtyard teaching space. To say that some of these upgrades were crucial would be an understate- ment. "The two-storey brick and concrete face on the northwest side that was to be replaced had separated from the structure to the degree that students on the second level could pass papers to friends on the first floor," says Ladi Holovsky, senior associate at Iredale Architecture. To keep the school fully functional during the construction, the project was carried out in five phases; the first phase would consist of construction of a new section of the school that stu- dents could be transferred to when work began on the remaining areas of the facility. Holovsky, who began design work in the fall of 2015, describes the 1968 Georges P. Vanier school as an inexpen- sive concrete and brick facility, with numerous additions over the years resulting in a building not meeting BC Building Code standards. Lee Rowley, principal, Herold Engineering Limited, adds, "We had to reinforce connections and upgrade the walls, since seismically the school was heavy and brittle. Given all the renova- tions over the years, the facility was like a jigsaw puzzle – but still, pretty sound." Rowley goes on to note that, "Early on, it became evident that to be cost effective, the project would be very much an exercise in building new foun- dations adjacent to existing structures and dealing with unexpected condi- tions as they emerged. But it was an enjoyable process because of Iredale, Heatherbrae Builders, and other trades who formed a great team, and who received constant support from the school district." Heselgrave says the overall goal of the design was to simplify the layout and replace all the windows with larger ones in order to bring more light into the facility. "Many flex spaces were created with movable glass walls, and LED light- ing was installed throughout." Similarly, the gym was augmented by a huge glass wall bringing in daylight through a ren- ovated weight room facility. Heselgrave credits Holovsky with developing the single super lab with seven science classrooms clustered around it. "It was an extremely efficient design, compared to the alternative of creating many smaller labs," he says. "Iredale has considerable experience in the education field, which is why we were so grateful to have the firm onboard." Holovsky estimates that about 50 percent of the original school had to be demolished, starting with the decrepit northwest portion – an undertaking that also entailed the careful removal of asbestos. In its place, Iredale designed a steel and laminated wood panel structure to house administra- tion, washrooms, and six classrooms, with an exposed roof that graced the classroom ceilings. Rowley says, "We used nail lami- nated timber panels in all of the new areas and we detailed the steelwork for a shallow ceiling line. This provided a very warm ambiance and at the same time was very cost effective." Ingenuity was frequently exhibited throughout the project, perhaps most notably when it came time to excavate for the super lab, which was located in the inner courtyard. "There was a lot more fill in the courtyard than we expected, and all of it had to come out without disrupting school operations," says Rowley. "Fortunately, the sur- rounding classrooms had been built on a suspended slab, and Heatherbrae Builders got the idea to install a conveyor in the crawlspace beneath it to whisk the material away and also to bring in the material required for the foundation." This was contrasted by less sexy, but no less important duties such as creating proper firewalls, and hook- ing up to the city water supply in order to produce the proper pressure for the school's first sprinkler system. As of June, a new cafeteria was being built, and the project was completed to the point where, according to Holovsky, "You can appreciate the flow and open- ness. In fact, if you stand at the main entrance you can now see all the way through the school to the other side." For his part, Heselgrave says he and Georges P. Vanier's many stakeholders "couldn't be more happy with the trans- formation. A great team of talented professionals took a school that was in pretty rough shape and turned it into a very attractive learning facility." A LOCATION 4830 Headquarters Road, Courtenay, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER Comox Valley School District #71 ARCHITECT Iredale Architecture CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Heatherbrae Builders Co. Ltd. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Herold Engineering Limited MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Rocky Point Engineering Ltd. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT AES Engineering Ltd. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Lombard North Group (BC) Inc. TOTAL SIZE 134,000 square feet TOTAL COST $33.8 million 1:53 PM

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