WIC Gets The Nod To Build New $36.5 Million Dollar Duchess Park School

Monday, May 26, 2008 04:43 PM

Click on conceptual rendering of new Duchess Park Seondary School to see video

Prince George, B.C. - A $36.5 million dollar contract has been awarded to Western Industrial Contractors for the construction of the new Duchess Park Secondary School.

The new 900 student school will feature a gymnasium that is larger than usual with the capicty for three courts, a 220 seat teaching auditorium that can be used for music, drama study and performances. A library, study space and open areas where students can realize as the board says,” the best Social and Study Opportunities “.

The new school will be LEED Gold certified, the first of its kind in Western Canada. Energy and lighting costs will be reduced by upwards of 60%.

The School District's share of the project is $5.5 million which will come from the sale and lease of surplus school properties.

Board Chair Lyn Hall says once the new school is built the old facility will be demolished. That is expected to take place by June 30^th, 2010.

Survey work has already started on the site and the new school is expected to be complete by December of 2009.

It will have operable windows in every classroom, and plenty of natural daylight.

WIC's Brian Savage says this project is special to him, he graduated from the existing Duchess Park School in 1977 "It needed a new school back then, but I will still be sad to tear it down."

WIC has also built the Northern Sport Centre, and is currently building the new Seniors' complex at Victoria and 20th Avenue.

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Posted on Monday, May 26, 2008 04:43 PM in News by 250 Views

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Comments

Posted by: red2b on May 26 2008 5:09 PM

Hopefully there will be more local suppliers than the seniors home on Victoria.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on May 26 2008 6:17 PM

Great news!
But I too hope local suppliers get as big a piece of this as possible!

Posted by: Palopu on May 26 2008 6:35 PM

All this new space will decrease the need for a PAC Centre. Whats the chances of that happening.

Three new courts added to the Civic Centre, CNC, Sportsplex, etc; should give us more capacity per capita than anywhere in BC.

Posted by: lunarbase on May 26 2008 9:08 PM

Most schools have a huge problem with vandalism. It surprises me the amount of large panel glass in use. Easy target for breakage, expensive to replace and overall not very secure.

The overall design seems fine so far but too bad the general school population wasn't consulted during the design and instead get the final product sprung upon us.

Posted by: owl on May 26 2008 9:15 PM

"All this new space will decrease the need for a PAC Centre"

Says who .... it is a school "auditorium" ... it is only 250 seats. TNW could use it since they have 230 seats and this would increase their current size. Give 'em a call and see what they will say of your idea.

LOL

50 ice rinks 100 feet by 50 feet still won't make an international sized or NHL sized hockey rink.

Posted by: Moses on May 26 2008 10:52 PM

'50 ice rinks 100 feet by 50 feet still won't make an international sized or NHL sized hockey rink.'

What??

Posted by: Eagleone on May 27 2008 5:10 AM

I heard LEED lights emitte low level radiation that is detrimental to a developing brain when used in excessive proximity. Its the so called trade off for power efficiency. Radiate yourself to save energy... or just pay for the old fashion bulbs and not worry about cancer ect....

Posted by: rambleon on May 27 2008 7:21 AM

Moses - What?

It doesn't matter how many smaller venues Prince George can collect, it doesn't discount the need to have a large one.

Eagleone - Do you have any links?

Posted by: rayban68 on May 27 2008 8:21 AM

There is actually no such thing as a 'LEED' light. When you design a building to LEED standards, you basically use less light fixtures (design to an appropriate light level) and/or more efficient light fixtures.

Posted by: metalman on May 27 2008 8:21 AM

Interesting, Eagleone. I would'nt doubt it for a moment. What I see is a plum job for a glass co. It would, I imagine, be tempered glass, not so easy to break with a rock, unless you strike a panel on it's edge. The presentation of the video must have knocked the S.D. socks off, very impressive, Brian and company. Please try to keep the job local though.
metalman.

Posted by: Bridge on May 27 2008 9:51 AM

What I see is a plum job for a glass co.

How about the Gas Company when the heating bill comes in. We spend money on carbon credits on one hand and pee it away with poor building design on the other.

Cheers

Posted by: Harbinger on May 27 2008 11:11 AM

With three hundred or more jobs lost at the plywood plant, and you extrapolate that into how many kids those 300 or more workers have, and those workers mostly move away,knowing they can't or shouldn't hope that the plant gets rebuilt soon, will obviously mean a lessening demand for class rooms, and teachers....well, you know...

Posted by: red2b on May 27 2008 12:11 PM

"..Please try to keep the job local though.
metalman."
I doubt that there will even be a public tender-it will all be negotiated- even if it is public money in the end. That in itself hardly seems fair, or responsible spending of public money. There could be a lot of "favours" being returned.
Time will tell!

Posted by: duchess11 on May 28 2008 6:23 PM

I think the new school will be great. I hope everyone that goes there and makes everyone with a huge smile..

Thanks for accepting this xoxox