Deep Cove elementary school is next up for seismic upgrades funded by the province as part of the ongoing Seismic Mitigation Program.
The school was selected from the most recent capital plan and is a high priority project based on an updated assessment of seismic safety risk.
“Saanich school district is very appreciative of the continued financing put towards seismic upgrades of our school,” said said Wayne Hunter, chair of the Saanich board of education. “Building on the first seismic improvements made in 1965 and 1969 at Deep Cove middle school, these new upgrades fit in with our continuing plans to make our schools more earthquake proof.”
There are only very preliminary plans in place, dependent on Ministry of Education approval processes being streamlined.
“Indications are that we will be conducting a more detailed assessment on two blocks containing six classrooms built in 1965 and 1969,” said Kim Milburn, director of facilities for the Saanich school district. “The remainder of the school would have non-structural upgrades. The design completion could be spring 2013.
“We would tender work and begin construction of exterior buttresses, if this is the ultimate design solution,” he said.
They expect to do the work two classrooms at a time, with an anticipation of two empty classrooms in September 2013 due to declining enrolment. In summer, the remainder of the internal work could be completed along with the non-structural upgrades to the T-bar ceilings, lights or sprinklers.