Seismic Upgrading
The tower is removed, the roof is off, the building looks gutted, chunks of cement are heaped on the playground, but Ridgeway Elementary School is not being demolished. Ridgeway Elementary School at 420 East 8th Street is undergoing a "Seismic Upgrading".
Photo: Tower removed and sitting in front of school.
In September 2010 the teachers and students moved to the old Cloverley School at 420 Hendry Avenue. That school building has been augmented with the old portable buildings from Lonsdale Elementary School at 2151 Lonsdale Ave. that was closed in 2005 and has since been demolished. (See Blog Post January 12, 2010.) The $21 million dollar Ridgeway Elementary School project is official called "Reconstruction and Heritage Restoration". (See photo below.) It is being funded by the North Vancouver School District and the Province of B.C. Ministry of Education. The architectural firm is D.A. Architects and Planning. The Heritage consultant is Robert Lemon Architecture Inc. Completion and return of the teachers and students to the shcool on Est 8th Street is expected in 2011. Sketches of the completed building and playground area appear on the sign below.
"The original Ridgeway Elementary School was built in 1911-1912 by Architects, Jones and Gillam, "The honourable Henry Esson Young, Minister of Education, officially opened the original portion of this building on April 8, 1912. It is a richly detailed essay in the Second Renaissance Revival style, and uses brick, sandstone, and rough cast stucco to achieve a strongly articulated facade. The Smith Brothers were the contractors for the original building, which cost $48,000 to build. Temporary ends were built on the central block, until the construction commenced in the 1920's on the north and south wings. North and South Wings, Benzie and Bow, architects, 1926." "City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994" page 18. (See photo below.)
Photos: Taken in April 2010 by SW. Top photo-rear of school on Moody Avenue side. Second photo-front of school on Ridgeway Avenue side. Third photo-south side of school with sign on 8th Street. Bottom photo-page 18 of "City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994."
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