Update 1

Completion of the Project Definition Report Phase

Board Meeting - October 17, 2011

On October 4, 2011 Committee II forwarded a recommendation to proceed with Concept 4b (Full replacement school on the northern side of property with 12 parking stalls along eastern edge of the site and the existing Montessori Preschool operations to be relocated to the north-east corner of the site.) to the Board on October 17^th, 2011. The Board endorsed the recommendation.

Update 2

Committee II - October 4, 2011

The Project Definition Report for General Gordon Elementary School was presented to the VBE trustees at Committee II on Tuesday, October 4, 2011. Click the following link to see the Meeting Minutes.

Click the following link to see the Committee Report: General Gordon Project Definition Report

After reviewing the feedback, the VBE Project Team has refined the preferred concept 4 to address some of the key issues identified on the comment forms:

• Building Location - The preferred concept is still a replacement school resulting in demolition of the existing building; however, the proposed new building location has been moved further north on the site to reduce any impact on 8th Avenue residents and increase the amount playfield with southern exposure. The main entrance and drop-off area will still be located on Bayswater Street. Options to build a 2 or 3 storey school will be explored during the Design Development phase.

• Temporary Accommodation - The preferred concept does not require portables during construction phasing. A temporary gym is the only external facility required.

• On-Site Parking and Access – Through discussion with the City of Vancouver, the proposed amount of required on-site parking has been reduced by 50% to 12 stalls and will be accommodated in a way that limits impact on play area. Parking and loading will be accessed through a combination of 7th Avenue and the adjacent lanes.

• Montessori Preschool – Some residents expressed that the location of the Montessori building causes significant parking and access issues along 7th Avenue. Subject to consultation with adjacent residents, the revised concept proposes relocating the Montessori to the north east corner of the site with drop-off on 6th Avenue.

• Heritage - In honor of the school’s heritage, various options will be explored in the Design and Development phase which could include a commemorative display or incorporation of historical markers or materials. The replacement school could also recall similar exterior colours in the new building.

Click here to view the Revised Preferred Concept 4B Plan Graphics (September 2011)

Update 3

Open House Feedback

The Open House drew approximately 180 attendees, with 137 comment forms submitted. Attendees shared their comments on the preferred concept through a written comment form or an online survey.

Click here to see the Open House Summary

A majority of attendees submitted comment forms expressing a preference to retain the heritage facades as presented in Concept 1. However, there was also substantial support for a replacement school. School Board staff understand this is a difficult issue and the decision to recommend a replacement school was not made lightly. A replacement school is being recommended based on the following major factors:

• the poor quality of the existing structure, together with a substandard basement floor level, results in design challenges and a high cost to retain and renovate the existing building;

• the exterior of the building has been significantly altered over time, affecting its heritage status;

• there are significant design challenges to create an optimal learning environment in the existing basement level of the school. In Concept 1, classrooms would be five feet below grade once the slab was lowered to provide enough head room in the basement. The end result is that children would not have direct views or direct access to the outdoors from this classroom space. In a replacement school, there would not be a basement level;

• the school site is extremely small, resulting in difficulty accommodating portables and suitable outdoor play area during a phased construction. Twenty-six  portables would be required for 22 months if the existing building was retained; and

• the cost of retaining the existing building has proved to be significantly greater than a replacement school. This cost has been weighed against the quality of the existing structure and its heritage status.

Open House - June 21, 2011 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to come to the Open House. VSB Planning & Facilities Staff, the City of Vancouver and the project architect team were in attendance to provide project information and to receive community feedback. DA Architects + Planners has developed 17 concept option for the renewal of General Gordon School. These concepts have been reviewed by GSAC and the City of Vancouver. With input from both the City and GSAC, 5 concept options have been selected to be subject to costing, and to undergo a preliminary life-cycle assessment and brought forth to the Open House in June 2011. The preferred concept presented was a replacement school, located on the southern portion of the site.

Open House Boards

• Welcome and Purpose of Open House
• Introduction: Renewing General Gordon Elementary School, Key Challenges
• The Overall Planning Process and Consultation
• Previous Process: NLC Program Enhancements, Area Allocations
• The Project Definition Process
• City Approval Process
• General Gordon School Highlights, Existing Building Floor Plans, Existing Building Photos
• Building Assessments: Issues and Opportunities, Structural Analysis, Site Circulation, Site Inventory,Areas of Concern, Traffic
• 12 Planning Principles, Learning Environments, Heritage and Renewal, Accessibility, Safety and Sociability,  Healthy Environment and Sustainability, Implementation and Temporary Accommodation
• Design Concepts: Variables Explored, Summary of Explored Concepts
• Concept 1, Concept 2, Concept 3, Concept 4, Concept 5
• Evaluation: Comparison Matrix, Heritage Review, Life Cycle Assessment & Environmental Impact, Costing
• Preferred Concept - Concept 4, Selected Design Features
• Next Steps: Outline Schedule

Project Definition Report Phase - January 2011

Building directly on the work to-date, the Project Definition Report phase focusses on the development and review of facility design options, and the identification of a preferred concept design.

Since February 2011, the VBE staff, the project consultant team, the City of Vancouver and the General Gordon School Advisory Committee (GSAC) have been working together on exploring various concept design options for the renewal of General Gordon. GSAC involves representatives from the Parents Advisory Committee (PAC), teachers and staff, community stakeholders and school board staff. Click on the General Gordon Project Charter and Working Relationship for more information.

Information has been generated about the structure and condition of the existing school building, and its mechanical and electrical systems, the heritage status of the building, site constraints, and VBE’s objectives for new learning environments. At the outset of the planning process, 12 Planning Principles were developed with GSAC to provide a framework to guide the development and evaluation of concept options for a renewed school.

Update 4

School and NLC Space Program/Allocation Approved - December 2010 

The Ministry of Education approved the space required to deliver the core school (3,600 sq. m.) and NLC space (663 sq. m.) programming envisioned for the renewed General Gordon Elementary School. The NLC space enhancement included uses for school and community programs such as performing arts, literacy programs, arts and cultural programs, out-of-school care, or health connections.

Capital Project Bylaw - December 6, 2010

On December 6, 2010, the Board approved the capital project bylaws for project planning and design related to Strathcona, Queen Mary and Gordon NLC renewal projects. Click here to see the staff memo.

Update 5

Board Endorses the Proposed Conceptual Space Program - March 22, 2010

The following motion was passed at the Open Board on 2010 March 22 under Matters arising from the 2010 March 01 Open Board meeting:

Moved by A. Wong, seconded by J. Bouey, that the Board of Trustees endorse the proposed conceptual space program and recommendations presented in the General Gordon NCLD Space Program Report prepared by Brook and Associates and authorize staff to proceed to project identification and definition of an optimal design solution.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Update 6

Open House - November 19, 2009

More than 140 people attended an open house on November 19th, 2009 to learn about ideas for the NCLD at General Gordon Elementary School. The purpose of the open house was to introduce the NCLD project and 21st century school design to the community, and receive feedback on the proposed NCLD program and space allocation for the school. All feedback forms and suggestions were reviewed and are summarized in the Queen General Gordon NCLD Space Program Report.

General Gordon Open House Boards

Update 7

General Gordon Vision Session - April 23, 2009

In Spring 2009 the Vancouver School Board held three visioning sessions intended to bring the school and community together with local and provincial agencies in order to develop a vision for the NCLD at General Gordon.

This was also a chance for agencies and members of the school and community who had not yet been involved in the process to learn more about the NCLD concept. Through this session, participants were given an opportunity to discuss potential synergies between the agencies and school to see how they might work together in a future NCLD.

• Vision Report Part 1, Part 2
• 2 Page Vision Summary 

Neighbourhood Learning Centres (Previously named Neighbourhood Centre of Learning and Development)

The Neighbourhood Learning Centres (NLC) Project is part of the Provincial Seismic Mitigation Program which has the objective to optimize the use of upgraded school facilities by bringing together education and community services in a single neighbourhood hub. An enhanced NLC school can be used for services such as early learning or child-care programs, office or meeting rooms for non-profit organizations, health clinics, sports programs, family resource or seniors’ centres, industry training, or branch libraries. The Ministry will provide additional space as part of the capital project to accommodate NLC services. NLC agency partners are expected to provide their own operational funds and are encouraged to contribute capital funding where possible to provide enhanced community facilities. Queen Mary Elementary, General Gordon Elementary and Lord Strathcona Elementary are participating in the project. The renewed schools will include services on site that will benefit students and the community. For more information see Ministry of Education website for additional background information.