Skip to content

Victoria High School seismic project extended four months

Students are now scheduled to go back to Victoria High School in January 2024
31112416_web1_221123-VNE-SchoolSeismicProject--Victoria-High_1
Victoria High is British Columbia’s oldest high school. (Photo by Cole Descoteau)

The occupancy date for students to return to Victoria High School has been delayed by four months after an expansion and seismic upgrade is finished.

The new occupancy date is January 2024, but the construction is expected to be complete by fall 2023.

“We must allow an appropriate amount of time to facilitate a successful transition for staff that will not be disruptive to student learning. As a result, the move will be facilitated during the winter break to set all staff and students up for a successful start-up in the seismically upgraded school,” said superintendent Deb Whitten.

The Greater Victoria School District (SD61) also says the project has been pushed back because of a heated construction market that has led to delays in materials and labour shortages.

“Given that the school is over 100 years old, this project has been very complex,” Whitten said. “Since construction started in 2020, there have been several challenges along the way, including the requirement of additional temporary supports for construction and market pressures on resources and labour availability that arose with the pandemic.

SD61 announced on June 14, 2021 that the target date was September 2023, as opposed to the previous goal of September 2022.

The provincial government is contributing $77.1 million for the seismic improvements, a 200-seat expansion and preservation of the school. SD61 is providing $2.6 million.

The project includes a new turf field, windows, floors, sand volleyball courts and a multi-purpose room. There will also be an updated heritage corridor and 78 new trees will be planted.

Students have been temporarily relocated to the former SJ Willis school site.

ALSO READ: Four new, all-electric buses join the Greater Victoria School District fleet


 

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroom@vicnews.com.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.



Brendan Mayer

About the Author: Brendan Mayer

I spent my upbringing in Saskatoon, and in 2021, I made the move to Vancouver Island.
Read more