Grading on a curve Vernon’s BX Elementary School expansion nearly complete BY JAMES PETERS At the end of July 2021, about the
think there were many reasons
the size of the original. Ten of the
only thing left to finish on the BX
for that happy scenario, includ-
classrooms will be used as soon
Elementary School expansion in
ing the cooperation between the
as the kids return, and two will re-
Vernon, B.C. was some final grad-
general contractor, Sawchuk De-
main available for future growth.
ing and additional landscaping.
velopments of Kelowna, and our
The student population has been
The construction project, which
local architectural company, MQN
steadily increasing for years at BX
got underway in May 2020, will be
from Vernon. But another impor-
Elementary, which ultimately saw
completed ahead of time and on
tant factor was the school teach-
five portable classrooms added to
budget, according to Project Man-
ers, the administrators and the stu-
the school grounds to accommo-
ager Archie Stogianos.
dents, who all deserve a round of
date this growth. With construc-
applause – everyone really handled
tion now complete, all of the por-
the disruption professionally.”
tables have been removed from
“I’ve been in construction for most of my adult life and I can’t remember a project going this
The nearly $12-million expan-
site. The new classrooms are a true
smoothly,” says Stogianos, who is
sion has added an additional 240
extension of the original building,
also the Director of Facilities for
seats to the school through 12 ex-
and all were built to the maximum
Vernon School District No. 22. “I
tra classrooms – nearly doubling
allowable square footage – roughly
24
Ops Talk • Spring 2022
