The wheels have been set in motion for the demolition of two of New Westminster’s historic school structures.
The New Westminster school district is in the process of getting demolition permits from the city to bring down the old New Westminster Secondary School and the existing Richard McBride Elementary School.
The old NWSS, which dates back to 1949, has been sitting vacant since students moved into the new facility in January.
Dave Crowe, the district’s director of facilities, said the demolition is a “significant project” unto itself.
“It’s a complex site,” he said. “It has to be a very careful demolition because of the complexity of the site, so it’s really more of a deconstruction than a demolition.”
The major complicating factor, he noted, is the presence of Massey Theatre, which will remain as a stand-alone building once the old school is taken down. Crowe noted all utilities for the theatre currently come off the old school.
“Before we can take down the old school, the Massey Theatre building has to be made to stand on its own, so that’s a major piece of the work we’re doing currently,” he said.
Crowe said the size of the old school site (which spans the length of the property between Eighth and 10th Avenues, along Eighth Street) adds to the challenge.
RICHARD MCBRIDE ELEMENTARY WELL UNDERWAY
Along with that demolition, the district has also launched the process of applying for a permit to bring down Richard McBride Elementary School. The 1929 facility in Sapperton is still occupied by students, but construction of the replacement school is well underway on the same property.
Crowe said construction of the new school has been going very smoothly, with a great deal of the steel structure completed, mechanical and electrical rough-ins all in place, radiant piping virtually completed and the roof going on.
Building envelope work will start soon, which Crowe pointed out is an exciting milestone.
“It starts to close the building in, and it starts to really, truly look like a building,” he said.
The district is currently aiming to have the new school finished and ready for occupancy by mid-December this year.
The demolition of the old building is scheduled for mid-April of 2022.
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca.
