Vancouver Sun: 2010 March 17

Janet Steffenhagen

Vancouver community rallies to save oldest school

Students, parents and teachers gathered outside Vancouver’s oldest school building Wednesday to protest demolition plans.

The B.C. government says it won’t spend $625,000 to restore the 114-year-old building that has stood empty and covered by a tarp alongside Sir Guy Carleton elementary since it was damaged by fire in 2006. Instead, the Education Ministry has offered $75,000 to have the structure removed.

Adrian Dix, the MLA for Vancouver Kingsway, attended the rally and described the two-room schoolhouse as a city and provincial landmark.

“East-end students and residents have been lobbying successive education ministers for over two years to fulfil their obligations to repair the school,” the NDP member said in a release. “Instead, the B.C. Liberals are offering to destroy, not preserve, an asset to the public education system.”

Last year, the Vancouver board of education drafted a plan to turn the building into an early learning centre, but the ministry refused, noting there is already an excess of space in nearby schools. A report shows 900 empty spaces in the east-side community, including 180 in Carleton elementary itself.

Based on the ministry’s refusal, school district managers recommended earlier this month that the board proceed with demolition, but trustees gave the community time to seek ways of saving the building.

Trustee Sharon Gregson said the building, constructed in 1896, is an important heritage site but any ideas for restoration will have to be weighed against the fact Vancouver will likely have to consider school closures in future. “[We have to] balance the enthusiasm for saving the building with the reality ... that Carleton could be one of the schools that’s up for closure,” she said in an interview.

The district has been predicting a shortfall of more than $17 million in balancing its 2010-11 budget.

jsteffenhagen@vancouversun.com

Board delays wrecking ball for historic schoolhouse

Vancouver Courier: 2010 March 10

Naoibh O'Connor

One of the school district's oldest school buildings could be knocked down unless the community it once served can find a way to save it.

The building is one of four structures on the Sir Guy Carleton school site at the corner of Kingsway and Joyce. It's at risk of demolition because it was damaged by arson two years ago.

The two-classroom yellow wood-frame out-building is more than a century old. The Vancouver School Board's efforts to obtain money from the provincial government to fix it have failed.

The board initially asked the Ministry of Education to cover the estimated $625,000 in repair costs, but was turned down after the ministry concluded the district didn't need the space.

A second request proposed it be used as an early learning centre, which also required the repair costs, but the ministry also denied that appeal.

Last week, staff recommended the board seek approval from the province to demolish it, but the decision is being deferred to give the neighbourhoods surrounding the building time to find a way to preserve it.

"We've really hit the wall in terms of what we can do with our funding," said board chair Patti Bacchus. "We're hoping if there's some will in the community we could find a compatible use--childcare, early learning, some kind of use that would work."

The building, which is covered by blue tarps, has been left vacant and has deteriorated over the past two years.

The temporary rain tarps do not prevent moisture from entering the building. Moisture is causing decay and damage to the building, according to a staff report, which estimates roof tarps and security fencing at the site cost up to $30,000 a year.

Annual operating costs, including custodial services and energy use, are pegged at about $8,200.

The report recommends demolition to mitigate hazards and district liability. The estimated cost to knock it down, remove the foundation and reinstate landscaping is $75,000, which would be funded by the ministry.

Bacchus hopes the community where the school is located can raise money to preserve the heritage site.

"It was built in 1896. It may be the earliest school structure in the city, so although the recommendation was to proceed with demolition, we deferred that to allow the community some time," Bacchus said.

The board will not undertake a formal consultation because its focused on budget deliberations, which could lead to school closures in that neighbourhood and other neighbourhoods in the city.

Bacchus said if the building were to be demolished, it would be preferable to do it over the summer when students aren't in class.

"But given that it's sat there for two years like this I don't want to suddenly rush to take it down," she added.

Heritage advocate Don Luxton is concerned about the fate of the building, but is encouraged the school board is willing to let the community get involved. He called a vacant building a threatened building because the longer it remains vacant the more expensive it is to fix.

"We're extremely worried about it because they are going to talk until it falls down even if they don't knock it down," he said.

noconnor@vancourier.com

The future of Vancouver's oldest school

Report Card: 2010 March 9

Should taxpayers spend $625,000 to preserve a 114-year-old, fire-damaged school building in the interest of heritage?

The government has said no, after rejecting a proposal late last year from the Vancouver board of education to restore the frame out-building at Sir Guy Carleton elementary school and transform it into an early learning centre. It has been sitting empty, with a blue tarp over the roof, since it was targeted by arsonists two years ago.

The proposal was developed following a recommendation from the Education Ministry, which noted the building was not needed to accommodate K-12 enrolments in the area since there is already excess capacity in neighbouring schools. Instead, the ministry said the board should consider other options that will make the building "integral to deliver of education for the district's students. The Ministry will then work with district staff to implement the agreed plan."

A report to Vancouver trustees on March 1 said there are 900 empty student spaces in the area, including 180 in Carleton elementary itself.

"Due to the large surplus capacity in the area, relocating an existing education program from another school site into Carleton Building C would not enhance overall capacity utilization for the area," says the report from the district management team. "Therefore, it is difficult to provide justification to the Ministry that the two classroom facility is essential to maintaining educational programs and to release funding to restore the damaged building."

The management team recommended the board proceed with demolition, noting the government has agreed to pick up the $75,000 bill. Trustee Sharon Gregson said the building is an important feature in the community, and the board has asked the community if it has any other ideas about how it can be saved. "All that, though, within the context of - over the next couple of years - the district needing to look at potential school closures, and so wanting to balance the enthusiasm for saving the building with the reality . . . that Carleton could be one of the schools that's up for closure just because of its location."

Some community members have begun a campaign to save the building.

Heritage Building to be Torn Down?

Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Committee II Meeting

Staff Report:
Sir Guy Carleton Elementary - Building C



(Statement from trustees regarding decision to table recommendation)

The Fix is In

Vancouver Courier: 2009 October 30

The Vancouver School Board wants Sir Guy Carleton's vacant outbuilding used as an early learning centre.

The century-old heritage building, which is part of the school site at the corner of Kingsway and Joyce, was seriously damaged by arson in March 2008. Little has been done to fix it.

Its roof is covered with blue tarp because the provincial government won't release money for its restoration until the Vancouver School Board proves it's needed for an educational purpose.

Trustees have endorsed a proposal to turn it into an early learning centre for pre-kindergarten children in the neighbourhood.

COPE trustee Allan Wong, chair of the planning and facilities committee, said senior staff will approach the Ministry of Education with the proposal, but it's uncertain when a decision will be made.

The district would like to see the centre opened by September 2011 or earlier.

Early Learning Centre Proposal

VSB: Committee III Agenda

Wednesday, October 14th at 1730 hours

Class Notes: Slow burn

Vancouver Courier: 2009 September 23

Naoibh O'Connor

The slow pace of bureaucracy takes the shape of a blue tarp on property at the corner of Kingsway and Joyce.

It covers the roof of a century-old, fire-damaged school building, which used to house two kindergarten classes--part of Sir Guy Carleton elementary.

The building was seriously damaged in an arson in March 2008. Students, parents, staff and the Collingwood neighbourhood have spent well over a year waiting for word on the fate of the heritage schoolhouse, even appearing at a committee meeting last March lobbying for its for restoration. Their wait continues.

COPE trustee Allan Wong, chair of the district's planning and facilities committee, said the provincial government has insisted the VSB state a case for the continued educational use of the building before it hands over the insurance money to fix it.

"We're insured through the province rather than a private insurance company, so the province said you'll have to show us the educational plans for it before they'll release the money. We're still working on the usage of it," Wong said.

Wong said the space will almost certainly be needed given the prospect of universal all-day kindergarten.

Meantime, he looked into the cost of at least fixing the school roof to make the exterior presentable, but the price tag was prohibitive, especially in light of the provincial government cut to the district's annual facilities grant.

The 2008 estimate for reconstructing the old school building was roughly $555,000, excluding the cost of removing asbestos, which has already been done.

"It's an eyesore," Wong concedes. "We have to fix it. But the most expeditious way is to show the provincial government that it's needed. My view is it's going to be proven to them at the end of the day... it's one of these one step at a time things and I wish it had been done, but in my view it will be done."

Vision Vancouver trustee Sharon Gregson said she's determined to keep the issue at the forefront because it's bad for the school community. Gregson blames the provincial government for the delay. "Just to be clear, this is not the fault of the district. This is waiting for the ministry to step up," she said. "But I want to make sure with all the other issues our beleaguered facilities department is having to deal with that this issue doesn't fall off the agenda. I want people to be aware it's still waiting to be dealt with."

Gregson maintains there are lots of potential uses for the site, for example childcare, literacy programs, settlement programs or adult education.

Wong expects a report about the heritage school might be ready for the next education and students services committee meeting. Meanwhile, he'll be contacting the principal with an update that will be put in a school newsletter.