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M A R C H 2 0 2 3 | 87 Ucluelet Elementary & Ucluelet Secondary Schools R EN D ER I N G CO U RT E S Y M3 A RC H I T EC T U R E I N C . UCLUELET ELEMENTARY & UCLUELET SECONDARY SCHOOLS by ROBIN BRUNET W ith the aim of providing a seismically safe facility, the Ucluelet Elementary and Ucluelet Secondary schools upgrade consisted of a partial replacement of the old secondary school plus an upgrade of the elementary facility. However, in collaboration with School District #70 Pacific Rim, M3 Architecture Inc., Alkins Project Management, and Unitech Construction Management deliv- ered a secondary school that also has an elegant campus-style appear- ance. From the street, the school's main feature is a single-storey circu- lation corridor that curves gracefully around an immense grass playing field on one side and a beautiful tree- filled main entrance on the other. As for the elementary school on the same site, it exhibits the clean hori- zontal lines and pleasing aesthetics of the best traditional learning facilities (the upgrade included the addition of an elevator for greater accessibility). The need to improve the schools was driven by Ucluelet being situ- ated on a fault line. School officials (as well as families) spent a decade advocating for improvements to the facilities, which serve five west-coast communities. The project was finally green-lit in June of 2019 when the B.C. government announced it would pro- vide $44.8 million for the project. While upgrades at the elementary school focused on structural safety, it was determined that the secondary renovations would involve replacing four of the facility's five blocks, which contain classrooms, the library, the music room, and administration (all of which were built between 1947 and 1981). The gym and trades block would also receive seismic fortification. In addition to a new neighbourhood learn- ing centre, the existing footprint would be expanded to include a new adminis- trative office area, learning commons, foods classroom, and library. Patrick and Laura May, princi- pals at M3 Architecture, describe their firm's relationship with School District #70 as "a collaborative pro- cess with a design team of SD70 staff, teachers, and users. Several meet- ings in the initial design/conceptual stages were held to establish goals and review site opportunities." May adds that while the project "was initially a seismic upgrade, the design team was looking provide a new image for the schools. Also, main- taining the presence of several trees on a rocky outcropping was impor- tant to the committee as graduation photos have been taken in front of this landmark over the years." For Ucluelet Secondary, the design team created "a single storey and sin- gle loaded corridor to provide a strong connection for all the programs and spaces required," according to May. "The curved form for the circula- tion corridor was agreed upon as a welcoming form. The interior cor- ridor was broken in the middle to preserve the rocky outcrop, and an exterior canopy was used to con- nect the two wings of the secondary school." Materials selected included exposed concrete and metal pan- els on the exterior plus exposed wood panelling on the walls and ceil- ing of the interior public spaces. Unitech Construction Management was responsible for site co-ordi- nation, construction phasing, and daily site logistics, as well as being instrumental in the success- ful completion of the project despite the challenges of COVID and the Kennedy Lake Road project. Jarret Scott, project manager at Unitech, explains, "Kennedy Lake is the only access to the site, and it was closed from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. so crews could improve a mountain pass – which meant we had to get material deliver- ies either very early or very late." Scott acknowledges the chal- lenges associated with COVID, but he points out that at least the lock- downs proved to be an asset in that Ucluelet's tourism dried up dur- ing that time, enabling labour from Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and other regions to find accommodations. Scott goes on to note, "Although geotechnical studies did not hit rock on site to any great extent, a substantial amount of rock break- ing proved to be necessary." May adds, "There was also the logistics of moving classrooms in the elementary school to allow for renovation and upgrade to vari- ous phases of that facility." Unitech worked closely with school admin- istration to ensure everyone had safe access to the facilities. In November of 2022 the upgrades were officially complete, and Pam Craig, chair of the Pacific Rim Board of Education, told media that her organization was "pleased to now have safe, secure, and inviting learning and working environ- ments with an abundance of natural light and calming surroundings for all students and staff." A LOCATION 1450 Peninsula Road, Ucluelet, B.C. OWNER /DEVELOPER School District #70 Pacific Rim ARCHITECT M3 Architecture Inc. GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Unitech Construction Management STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Sorensen Trilogy Engineering Ltd. MECHANICAL CONSULTANT SMcN Consulting Inc. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT RB Engineering Ltd. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Island EHS TOTAL SIZE 4,600 square metres (Secondary) 2,200 square metres (Elementary School) TOTAL COST $45 million

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