A significant construction milestone at the new Quw’utsun Secondary School that was held on Oct. 13 marked an important step towards the completion of the state-of-the-art educational facility.
Last Friday, the last steel girder was installed and the final concrete pour was prepared.
The final steel girder was signed by dignitaries and on-site construction crews before being lifted into place and installed as the final structural piece of the school.
“The completion of this phase of construction is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all those involved,” said Cathy Schmidt, chair of the Cowichan Valley School District.
“Quw’utsun Secondary School is poised to become a hub of learning, where students can truly build a world of their choosing.”
The Quw’utsun Secondary School project is a collaborative effort between the province, the Cowichan Valley School District, Cowichan Tribes, Urban One Builders, HCMA Architecture + Design, and the local community.
The new school will replace the current Cowichan Secondary School, located on James Street, which is 70 years old and is the oldest secondary school in the district.
It has served thousands of graduating students over its seven decades.
“Our government is proud to partner with the Cowichan community on this historic school project, and honoured to be delivering facilities that will serve B.C. students, families and communities for many years to come,” said Racha Singh, B.C.’s Minister of Education and Child Care.
“I am thrilled to see this important school one step closer to completion.”
The new three-storey building will be approximately 11,975 square metres and built for 1,100 students, with the ability to expand to house 1,500 students with the addition of new classrooms.
According to the latest financial figures provided by the district, the province is providing $83.8 million for the replacement of Cowichan Secondary School as part of its seismic mitigation program, while the Cowichan Valley School District is providing $2.2 million.