The replacement of one of Coquitlam's oldest schools may start as early as this fall, the project manager told the city's council-in-committee this week.
On Monday, Alfredo Verdicchio said the $42-million construction work at Centennial secondary on Poirier Street will begin either this fall or in the winter, with the new school going up first to the west of the property. Construction is expected to take 20 months.
In a PowerPoint presentation to committee, Verdicchio highlighted some of the features in the new school such as a super-lab, a 250-seat theatre, an amphitheatre and a library "that will be at the heart of the school," said assistant superintendent Dan Derpak, who was also at the Feb. 27 meeting.
At this point, the theatre will only be used for school purposes; however, Verdicchio later told The Tri-City News, it could be opened in the future for the community and a have a similar model to Terry Fox secondary's theatre, which is run by a non-profit society.
Once the 1,250-student body moves into the replacement building - which is being constructed for a similar-sized population, Derpak said - the existing school will be torn down except for the gymnasium, which will be upgraded later to meet seismic standards.
And, over the following 18 months, construction will start for the new six Neighbourhood Learning Centres (NLCs). Verdicchio said the NLCs will include a welcoming facility for refugees as Coquitlam has been one of the top destinations in the province, especially for Bhutanese. As well, the NLCs will be used by agencies such as Simon Fraser University, BCIT, Fraser Health and the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
NLC hubs are also being planned for Pitt River middle (designed to house First Nations and athletic facilities) and James Park elementary (health and family resources).
A new sports field will also be added at the corner of Winslow Avenue and Poirier Street.
Overall, the new campus will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold standards though Verdicchio said that it won't connect to the nearby district energy system, a heating/cooling network currently being used at Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex and Chimo Pool. "We looked at that possibility but with the cost and the distance, it just won't work within our budget," he told The News.
As well, he told the committee, there are no plans for green roofs but the trees on the west side, facing neighbours' properties, will remain in tact.
A major challenge to create the new campus was the oil line, which bisects the property spanning from Winslow and King Albert avenues. Still, Verdicchio said the right-of-way offered a good pedestrian route between the school and NLCs.
The school board offices won't be replaced as part of the project, which is due to wrap up by the spring of 2015.
Centennial secondary was built in 1967, the centennial year of Canadian Confederation.
