VSB received ministry funding to build a new school in Olympic Village in 2024. Since then, VSB has been designing the school and preparing the site for construction. Early construction work will begin in September 2026, ahead of the main building work. The anticipated timeline is:

• September 2026: early works construction including soil removal and pile installation will begin.
• Spring 2027: main buildling construction
• End of 2029: anticipated construction completion
• 2030: anticipated school opening

During construction, the project will use a temporary work area north of the school site. This will reduce impacts on roadways and traffic. Once the school is complete, the temporary space will be restored for neighbourhood use. Work will be carried out from 7:30am to 8:00pm Monday to Fridays, and 10:00 am to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays. No construction work will occur on holidays in accordance with the City of Vancouver Noise Control Bylaw.

Construction will take place in two main stages

Stage 1: Early construction work Beginning September 2026, the community will first see crews preparing the site. This includes: 

• Installing construction fencing and tree protection barriers
• Removing trees identified for removal as part of the approved project. Any trees removed for construction will be replaced
• Bringing equipment and materials to the site
• Removing the soil
• Installing support piles, (structural supports installed deep in the ground to create a strong foundation for the building)

Stage 2: Main building construction Construction of the main school building is expected to begin in spring 2027. This stage will include building the structure, completing the exterior and finishing the school’s indoor spaces. The construction is expected to be completed at the end of 2029. Work will be carried out:

• Mondays to Fridays: 7:30am - 8:00pm
• Saturdays: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm 
• Sundays and holidays: no work, in accordance with the City of Vancouver Noise Control Bylaw.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we build a new school for the Olympic Village community.

While we try our best to remain on schedule, similar to other construction projects, schedules can change due to severe weather, supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, site conditions or other unexpected issues. VSB will work with the builder to reduce delays whenever possible. As always, VSB will share project updates at govsb.ca/ov

VSB will provide nearby residents and businesses with notice of major construction activities that may cause additional noise, traffic changes or access impacts.

The best way to keep up to date about construction updates is by visiting the project website, govsb.ca/ov. You can also choose to subscribe to project updates on the website.

Pile drilling and installation will be the most disruptive and will take approximately 5 months at the beginning of the project.

The Contractor is required to carry out all construction activities that create noise within the time periods and sound levels determined by the City Noise Control Bylaw.

Erosion and sediment control measures, per City of Vancouver requirements, will be installed to control dust and dirt from the construction site.

The site will use temporary construction lighting which will be limited to the construction site, minimal security lighting will be on during evening hours and we do not expect this to disturb the nearby homes.

Construction trucking for soils removal and pile drilling will be along Columbia Street. A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) is submitted to the City, and Traffic Control Persons (TCP’s) as required will be directing traffic. The contractor will try to avoid peak hours for construction deliveries.

Temporary disruptions to traffic on Columbia Street can occur during deliveries and when soils removal work is being done. For safety, Traffic Control Persons (TCP’s) will be directing traffic during these times. Every effort will be made to minimize impact on nearby residents and businesses.

Temporary closures if required will be properly managed by trained Traffic Management Persons. (TMP’s)

The construction activities will not impact routes along the seawall. Any temporary detours, for walking, cycling and rolling paths, if required, will be clearly identified with signage.

Only the temporary construction area and school site will be closed off from public access during the construction period. Access to all other public areas in Olympic Village will remain open including Hinge Park and False Creek Community Center.

The construction site will be fenced off from the public, and the fencing will have dust and privacy screening. The project site will also have security monitoring.

VSB is committed to protecting the surrounding environment and reducing construction impacts on Hinge Park, Hinge Creek, False Creek and nearby trees. The contractor will follow an erosion and sediment control program throughout construction. The program will include measures to manage runoff from the construction site, prevent sediment from entering nearby areas and respond to potential spills. Tree protection barriers will also be installed around trees that will remain during construction.

The site has been assessed for contaminated soil. An environmental consultant will monitor the removal and treatment of affected soil to make sure it is handled safely and in accordance with environmental requirements. Testing found that the groundwater is not contaminated. Groundwater collected during construction will still be treated through the project’s erosion and sediment control program before it is released or removed

The project team will follow the project’s Chance Find Management Program, which outlines how potential discoveries must be protected, assessed and reporte

We expect minimal disruption to any services. Traffic Control Persons (TCP’s), as required, will be directing traffic. Updates on the project and construction progress will be provided on the VSB website.

The proposed school is designed to meet both current and projected enrolment needs in the Southeast False Creek area and to provide seismically safe learning space for families. The Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan was approved in 2005. Since then, the city has changed significantly with increased residential density, creating the need for a larger school.

The Olympic Village school will serve a walkable catchment that includes parts of the current Fraser Elementary and portions of other adjacent school catchments. This will help relieve enrolment pressure at existing schools while keeping catchments walkable in size.

A catchment review will take place well in advance of the school opening. This process will consider growth projections and development trends to effectively create a new catchment out of the current catchments in the surrounding area. The school is being designed with a 40- to 50-year horizon to ensure it can serve the community over the long term.

VSB engaged a traffic engineering consultant to assess future transportation impacts related to the new school and the consultant prepared a Transportation Assessment and Management Study. This study evaluates how students, staff and families are expected to travel to and from the site and identifies the number of pick-up and drop-off spaces needed to manage traffic safely. 

The study identified a curbside pick-up and drop-off area along the west side of Columbia Street. There will be five dedicated parking spaces along Columbia for families to temporary park during pick-up and drop off-times.  

Like all schools, traffic activity is highest during arrival and dismissal times. With a school start time around 9 a.m. and dismissal around 3 p.m., traffic activity is expected to be concentrated in short peak periods, typically 15 to 20 minutes at the beginning and end of the school day. The proposed pick-up and drop-off spaces are designed to accommodate these peak periods.

Schools use a range of site-specific strategies to support traffic flow and pedestrian safety, which may include:

• Encouraging families to walk, cycle, roll to school
• For families who need to drive to park or stop a few blocks away on quieter streets and walk the remainder of the trip
• Organize walking “school buses” where a group of students walk to school together under adult supervision. 
• Use parent or student volunteer safety patrols at crosswalks (similar to a crossing guard)

Based on this planning and VSB’s experience operating schools in other high-density neighbourhoods, the proposed traffic management measures will support safe and efficient access to the school while minimizing impacts on the surrounding community.

There will be very limited staff parking on site. The school will include five parking stalls and will not have underground parking.

Building underground parking at this location would be incredibly costly and was not feasible within the available funding to create this new school. Providing underground parking would have increased the overall project budget and jeopardized the ability to fund this projects and others.

Given that the site is highly walkable and has easy access to transit and cycling routes, VSB will encourage staff to walk, bike or take transit to work. Staff accepting positions at this school will be aware that on-site parking is limited and that driving to work may not be possible. This approach aligns with other urban school sites in Vancouver, where limited parking is provided and active transportation is common.

The school’s central location and access to public transportation support these travel choices while helping to minimize traffic and parking impacts in the surrounding neighbourhood.

The Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan, approved in 2005, specifically designates the current site for an elementary school. In May 2022, the City of Vancouver and VSB signed a ground lease confirming the site’s use for a school. No other site was identified or designated for a school. 

In April 2024, the Province of B.C. approved funding for a new elementary school in Olympic Village based the location, enrolment capacity of 630 students, a four-level school building and a rooftop play area. The school has long been, and continues to be, a key part of the vision for a complete and well-serviced Southeast False Creek community.

The school site was identified when the Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan was approved in 2005. Existing park and playground areas in Hinge Park, including those south and west of the grassy field, will remain available for public use.

VSB and the City are also exploring opportunities for the area north of the school to function as school play space during school hours and as publicly accessible space after school hours. Additional park space to the west is planned as part of the broader Southeast False Creek vision.

Similar to any school sites, noise from student activity will occur during regular school hours, typically between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., from September to June. 

The design team is exploring reasonable sound-mitigation measures to help reduce noise impacts to the neighbouring residents and businesses.

This site has a unique opportunity to build a public school for students, staff and community use. All people using this community facility will be able to appreciate the views of False Creek and the North Shore mountains.  The new school will be centrally located and is within walking distance to the False Creek community center. The school will provide the community with public spaces on the ground level that can be rented out by the community during and after school hours.

Yes. The City of Vancouver held a public hearing as part of the rezoning process. The City’s public hearing took place in early 2026.