Upcoming School Board Vote on the Future Upgrade Or Rebuild of Handsworth School
The school board has recently announced its agenda for the upcoming Tuesday Jan 19th meeting at @ 7:00pm at the school board building (2121 Lonsdale Ave.) On the agenda is Handsworth Secondary School, as the board will be voting on a complete rebuild OR a seismic upgrade, as described below.
To have your voice heard before this vote, please consider taking the time to pen a letter, or show up to the meeting and sign up for a time slot to speak and share your opinion. As part of the Handsworth family of schools, this decision directly impacts your children’s futures.
To: bforward@sd44.ca, meganhiggins@sd44.ca, cgerlach@sd44.ca, csacre@sd44.ca, sskinner@sd44.ca, JStanley@sd44.ca, fstratton@sd44.ca, mpearmain@sd44.ca, jlewis@sd44.ca, educ.minister@gov.bc.ca“Subject:” North Vancouver School Board Decision Regarding Handsworth Rebuild/Seismic Upgrade
To the North Vancouver School District, North Vancouver School Board & BC Ministry of Education:
Regarding the decision to upgrade or rebuild Handsworth Secondary ______________ _______________________________________
Sincerely, _________________ , a Canyon Heights Parent
We hope you will take this opportunity to provide your feedback!
Update on the Handsworth Seismic Upgrade Project- from the School Board's Website
While the School District focuses efforts to convert the approved Argyle Secondary seismic upgrade
project to a replacement school, parallel work continues on the Handsworth seismic upgrade project.
The work on Argyle is helpful to inform the School District of Ministry and municipal requirements for Handsworth.
A Project Definition Report (PDR) is being revised to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education Capital
A Project Definition Report (PDR) is being revised to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education Capital
Branch and to incorporate requirements of the District of North Vancouver. The PDR will provide cost estimates
for two options:
- A seismic upgrade project, and
- A full school replacement project.
The seismic upgrade project is an approved project, while the full replacement of Handsworth would be an
option for consideration by the Board of Education.
A draft PDR submitted to the Ministry in November 2014 provided an initial cost estimate of $37 million for the
seismic upgrade, and a cost of $51 million for the full replacement project. The updated PDR will provide for revised
cost estimates with the clarification of the project scope. Further information will be provided, if necessary, to ensure
that the PDR report is complete and meets Ministry requirements. We are hopeful that all requirements for the
PDR may be completed no later than the end of this calendar year.
Consideration of Options
The Board of Education will need to consider the cost implications regarding the approved seismic upgrade and the
full replacement options for Handsworth Secondary to determine how the Board would prefer to proceed. The Board
plans to arrange a meeting with the Ministry to discuss the funding of capital projects in our School District, including
the additional funding that may be required to convert the approved seismic upgrade project to a full replacement
project.
The consultation process with the Ministry of Education may continue for six months or more, into 2016, to reach a
Project Agreement. A Project Agreement between the Ministry of Education and Board of Education will establish the
requirements related to the scope of the project and the source of necessary funding.
A Project Agreement may be reached to proceed with either the approved seismic upgrade project, or with a full
replacement project. Which option is selected for Handsworth is still to be determined by the Board of Education
and by the Ministry of Education.
Planning Stage (Seismic Upgrade or Full Replacement)
The process for design team selection, design development, working drawings, tender, and construction contract
award is expected to be eighteen months in length. Based on a Project Agreement in place by mid 2016, the planning
stage would not be complete until late 2017.
No design work is started until a Project Agreement is in place and the consultant team is engaged to commence
the schematic design work.
Construction Plans for Each Option
Seismic Upgrade Project
The timeline for construction for a seismic upgrade project is 30 to 36 months, as the project would proceed in phases.
An area of the building would be vacated, with students moving into portable classrooms. Approximately 30 portable
classrooms would be needed to accommodate students for instruction. These portables would likely be situated on
the asphalt play areas, preventing the use of these basketball and tennis facilities throughout the construction period.
Upon completion of the first phase, or section of the building, classes would move back into the completed section of
Upon completion of the first phase, or section of the building, classes would move back into the completed section of
the building. The second section of the building would then be vacated for construction, with a repeat of the previous
process of relocation, construction, and relocation continuing through a third phase. This process was used for the
seismic upgrade projects at Carisbrooke and Canyon Heights Elementary.
Full Replacement Project
The timeline for construction of a full replacement school is approximately 24 to 30 months. An area of the school site
(likely the field and asphalt areas to the north and west) would be the area for the construction of a new school on site.
The separation of construction from the operating school would allow for continued use of the existing school for
classes until the new replacement school is completed. Following completion of the full replacement school, the
former school would be vacated to allow for demolition and for the redevelopment of fields and asphalt areas. The
refurbishment of fields, landscaping and asphalt areas would take an additional year. This approach was used in
the construction of replacement schools at Highland Elementary and Sutherland Secondary. With an early 2018
start date, a projected completion date of spring 2020 would be possible, with fields and landscaping completed
in late 2020.
Joint Planning with the District of North Vancouver
Through its Collaboration Committee with the District of North Vancouver (DNV), the Board of Education continues
to meet with DNV representatives from the district to discuss joint planning opportunities related to Handsworth
Secondary School.
DRAFT Preliminary schematics
The following images provide a schematic representation of a potential replacement school in relation to the
existing site. This is a preliminary concept for PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY and does not represent what may
potentially be developed on site, if the project is approved to proceed as a full replacement project.
Handsworth Secondary School Site Plan | ||
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| Handsworth School Site Current Plan | Handsworth School Site Concept Planning Only | |
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