21st century learning: Oak Bay School maintains a tradition of excellence and innovation By Jillian Mitchell
As Dave Thomson watches the large
project since its inception. "It's happen-
crane outside his office window, he
ing right in front of me, and I can see stu-
smiles an ear-to-ear grin.
dents checking it out. The construction
"I've got every principal's biggest
team has been great."
‘sandbox’. All kinds of exciting things
Talk of the $52-million, 180,000-square-
are happening," says the Oak Bay High
foot Oak Bay High School Replacement
School principal who has been involved
Project at the corner of Cadboro Bay and
in all facets of the school’s replacement
Cranmore roads began in 1993 as a po-
ERV PARENT
Floor Covering for Schools and Sports Tarkett iQ Vinyl Flooring Tarkett xf2 Linoleum Mondo Rubber Flooring Altro Safety Flooring & Wallcovering 791 Caldew Street, Delta, BC, V3M 5S3 Tel: 604-525-4142 Fax: 604-525-3777 www.ervparent.com
22
Ops Talk • Fall 2014
tential seismic upgrade for the school. It was subsequently decided to replace the two existing buildings with a new 1,300-student capacity school, as well as a neighbourhood learning centre, a new theatre, and new sportsfields and parking areas. Local teams Farmer Construction Ltd. and Hughes Condon Marler Architects (HCMA), who teamed up previously for Victoria's Dockside Green, were selected as the successful proponents and contracted by the Board of Education No. 61 (Greater Victoria) for the designbuild school project. Construction began July 2013 and was completed in August 2014; though students didn’t occupy the new gym until September 2014. Demolition of the two existing schools and construction of the new playfields will be completed by August 2016.
