Returning students or staff members at VSB may notice a few changes when classes resume in September. Throughout the summer months, VSB’s facilities team remained hard at work preparing schools for your return. 

The facilities team spent July and August upgrading and updating various school sites throughout the District, with 94 projects on their to-do list. Projects ranged from a variety of work, including: 

• Gymnasium floor updates 
• Roofing improvements 
• Fencing fixes and developments 
• Accessible washrooms 
• All-weather fields 
• Painting 
• Commissary kitchen upgrades at Templeton, in support of Elementary Hot Lunch and Food4School programs 
• Elevator upgrades 
• Accessible ramp builds 
• Boiler upgrades 

And many more! 

"The summer break is the facilities team's busiest work period. During that nine-week period this year, we completed 94 projects. It seems like a long time to get things done, but it ticks by quickly,” says Ron Macdonald, director of facilities. 

Upgrades at Queen Elizabeth Elementary

Some upgrades are obvious, such as the new accessible washrooms at Wilfrid Laurier Elementary and gymnasium floor projects at King George Secondary, Magee Secondary, Florence Nightingale Elementary, Norquay Elementary, Queen Elizabeth Elementary, Quilchena Elementary, Selkirk Elementary Annex, and P.E. Trudeau Elementary. 

Other projects may be less noticeable, but play a vital role in running safe and efficient schools during the school year. These include a boiler plant upgrade at Magee and the storm line replacement at Hastings. 

“Many of these projects are 'must complete' for the opening of schools,” Macdonald adds. “I am always impressed by the commitment our maintenance, construction and operations teams have in carrying out these projects." 

Gymnasium flood updates at Lord Selkirk Annex

It’s easy to understand why summer is the busiest time of year for VSB’s facilities team. We are grateful for all the hard work they have done in preparation for the first day of classes, and all the work they do year around to ensure we have safe and healthy learning environments. Thank you, facilities team!