The safety of students and staff is our top priority. Deconstruction of school buildings is a safe process that has been undertaken at other VSB sites while there has been an active school community and deconstruction taking place at the same time. 

The deconstruction process of the former DLG school building is anticipated to start in the coming weeks, as soon as finalized permits are received from the City of Vancouver. Once the deconstruction and redevelopment project is complete, the DLG school community will benefit from better sight lines and more usable outdoor learning and green spaces. It is anticipated that the deconstruction and redevelopment project will be complete by summer 2026.  

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to redevelop this site into a more usable space for your school community.  

Our goal was to start the abatement in the summer, taking advantage of the good weather, however, the tender process took longer than anticipated.  A tender process is when contractors submit proposals and the owner selects the best qualified bid. 

Tender for the hazmat and deconstruction project at DLG closed in June and was awarded to Clearview. The tender period was extended to ensure Clearview could establish a safe path for vehicles entering and exiting the site, that would also be the least disruptive to students. These details are worked out with the successful bidder upon award.

The contractor is currently processing an abatement permit and hazmat will start soon after receiving the permit.

Throughout the entire deconstruction process, safety is our top priority. Building deconstruction is a safe process that has been done in schools throughout the province and VSB. 

The former DLG building has relatively low quantities of hazardous materials present and abatement at this site is considered low risk. There will be abatement of any present or suspected materials containing asbestos as well as any other hazardous materials. Stringent Exposure Control Plans have been developed that adhere to all requirements set out in the BC Occupational Health & Safety Regulation and to all municipal and Health Authority requirements. Hazardous materials abatement will take place indoors under negative pressure.   Exterior windows will be carefully removed at the end.

In recent years, there have been other VSB school communities that, like DLG, have occupied a new school building while their former building was undergoing deconstruction on the same grounds. Recent examples include Hudson Elementary (2024/2025) and Tennyson Elementary (2019/2020). 

The abatement process:

The abatement process is safe and industry regulated. During the abatement process, airtight enclosures are placed around any area where abatement is taking place. A negative air pressure system is used – this means that if the door opens, the air gets in but not out. Water is used throughout the deconstruction process to ensure materials are wet – this eliminates the likelihood of particles becoming airborne. Any materials removed are encapsulated in the building and removed from the building in sealed plastic.  

All abatement workers are required to follow proper safety protocols whenever exiting an enclosure including disposing of single-use suits/coveralls and other protective equipment. Air monitoring within the building and around containment zones is conducted by a third-party consultant Alliance EHS throughout the abatement process. All abatement work areas are subject to ongoing monitoring and inspections. The contractor is certified in ensuring their safety standards exceed WorkSafeBC requirements, with a safety inspector attending the site regularly to ensure adherence to safety plans and safe work practices.

The contractor has stringent safety plans in place for the duration of the deconstruction process. Trucks accessing the site will make their turns on the southern portion of the gravel field, eliminating the need for reversing into public streets or lanes. Deconstruction will begin only after all hazardous materials have been safely removed and the clearance is given for deconstruction to begin.

The deconstruction process itself occurs in small sections. Equipment that is designed for efficient and effective deconstruction will be used. Pieces of the building are removed carefully and systematically by a machine that resembles an “arm and hand”, with materials stacked and sorted for recycle/disposal. Most demolished materials with be sorted and recycled. During deconstruction, large hoses and turbine misters are used to minimize dust. 

The school site has been separated from the contractor’s area using a temporary fence. Fasteners on each fence panel have been added as an extra precaution to ensure that no one enters the contractor area.  The fence will be checked regularly to ensure it is effective as a barrier. The fence may be moved for short periods of time as necessary, if the work requires more space.

Deconstruction work on the former building’s corner closest to the new school building will be scheduled for weekends. This will reduce disruption to students and staff. The contractor will follow City of Vancouver noise bylaws. The DLG administration team is in close contact with the site superintendent. 

We understand that changes to outdoor space during deconstruction will impact students and staff, however, we have tried to minimize disruption to school activities as much as possible. Additional staffing (a supervision aide) is being provided to DLG for the duration of the project – this will help with overall supervision during recess and lunch on the grounds and in the school. Access to some areas, such as a portion of the field, have been restricted to ensure safe movement of construction vehicles and materials. Playgrounds and the green space west of the former building will remain available for outdoor activities through most of the project. 

During deconstruction work at other VSB sites similar to DLG, learning and play was able to continue as usual. The school has plans in place should there be times if any noise from the site has an impact on a class or individual students.  

This graphic provides approximate details of the site plan:

Updates regarding the deconstruction and related safety measures will be regularly communicated to families and staff through your principal and/or vice principal. An information session with representatives from VSB and site contractors was held at DLG’s first PAC meeting of the school year, on September 9, 2025. If you have any questions about the deconstruction process, please contact your school principal. The DLG administration team is in close contact with the site superintendent.