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WHAT'S HAPPENING ON CITIFIED VICTORIA
St. Andrew's Elementary to close
By Robert Randall, VibrantVictoria.ca
http://vibrantvictoria.ca/?p=2334
St. Andrew’s Elementary, a fixture in Victoria’s North Park neighbourhood for decades, will shut its doors and amalgamate with St. Joseph’s school on Burnside Road according to a statement by the Bishop of the Diocese of Victoria, Richard Gagnon.
The announcement, part of a briefing outlining a new strategic plan for Victoria Catholic schools, comes three years after the closure of another urban Christian school, the Greater Victoria Christian Academy. The GVCA had classrooms in The Church of Our Lord in the Humboldt Valley and Central Baptist Church on Pandora Avenue until 2007. The school faced declining enrolment linked to parental concerns about social problems surrounding the needle exchange on Cormorant Street, a block north of Central Baptist. [...]
Victoria school closures
Started by
Mike K.
, Apr 09 2010 08:12 AM
28 replies to this topic
#1
Mike K.
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 08:12 AM
...
Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.
#2
Rob Randall
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 08:31 AM
Edited: Response to slander
This is a real blow to the neighbourhood. The presence of the school is a positive element that balances some of the chaos nearby. I know that a lot of parents have pulled their kids from the school due to the presence of street people.
This is a real blow to the neighbourhood. The presence of the school is a positive element that balances some of the chaos nearby. I know that a lot of parents have pulled their kids from the school due to the presence of street people.
#4
Rob Randall
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 08:43 AM
Here is the building shortly after construction in 1931:
Because the school will need massive seismic upgrading to be considered safe, its future is limited. It is on the heritage list but I'm not sure it's an actual heritage building or merely heritage designated.
Because the school will need massive seismic upgrading to be considered safe, its future is limited. It is on the heritage list but I'm not sure it's an actual heritage building or merely heritage designated.
#5
Rob Randall
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 08:48 AM
If you've driven along Burnside lately you may have noticed the new addition to architect John DiCastri's St. Joseph's church. I believe the church also owns the massive neighbouring field at the corner of McKenzie and the highway.
#6
Baro
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 09:56 AM
That's really a shame, I always enjoyed having that school there. A little bastion of light and life in the sea of depression and rot that is the neighbourhood.
I really hope something can be done with the building. Maybe something to save the neighbourhood. Turning the whole lot into a 5-6 story block that incorporates this building as a corner would be awesome. Give developers what ever they need to save the building. This could be a great little corner. Housing would initially be a tough sell (heck anything here is a tough sell) but with enough density and maybe some affordable housing breaks from the city I think something awesome could take shape here.
I really hope something can be done with the building. Maybe something to save the neighbourhood. Turning the whole lot into a 5-6 story block that incorporates this building as a corner would be awesome. Give developers what ever they need to save the building. This could be a great little corner. Housing would initially be a tough sell (heck anything here is a tough sell) but with enough density and maybe some affordable housing breaks from the city I think something awesome could take shape here.
"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"
#7
Bernard
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 10:13 AM
Interesting that they are closing. In general independent schools have been thriving in enrollment numbers. Though given all the work they did at St Joseph's, there is more than enough space in that school for all the kids.
#8
Baro
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 10:24 AM
What would people think about something like this?
"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"
#9
AllseeingEye
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 11:07 AM
This is a real shame; fortunately little Ms. AllSeeingEye will be able to finish her education there uninterrupted, as she only has one more year to go. After that the intention always was/is to enroll her in St. Andrews High on McKenzie so that plan will also remain unaffected.
I have always been impressed with the high quality of education she received at S-A elementary, and the dedication and professionalism of the teaching staff was unsurpassed in my experience.
Nonetheless the building is old and one can only imagine the cost of electrical and other upgrades. It will be very interesting to see what replaces the school when the time comes. Since I am there every week picking her up/dropping off I can attest to the general sense of uneasiness of many in having the growing street element in such close proximity to a school.
I have always been impressed with the high quality of education she received at S-A elementary, and the dedication and professionalism of the teaching staff was unsurpassed in my experience.
Nonetheless the building is old and one can only imagine the cost of electrical and other upgrades. It will be very interesting to see what replaces the school when the time comes. Since I am there every week picking her up/dropping off I can attest to the general sense of uneasiness of many in having the growing street element in such close proximity to a school.
#10
Pyroteknik
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 11:13 AM
Unfortunate to lose a downtown school.
Maybe now VIHA can move forward with their original plan to have a comprehensive needle exchange and police outpost that serves the neighbourhood where it is needed.
Maybe now VIHA can move forward with their original plan to have a comprehensive needle exchange and police outpost that serves the neighbourhood where it is needed.
#11
Baro
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 12:02 PM
I say we relocate all the homeless/drug infrastructure and facilities to oak bay. Then when all the people who use those services move there say "hey it's your problem, they're in your municipality, that's why I live in Victoria because we manage our homeless and drug addiction problems properly. Maybe if you didn't waste so much money on gravel you could deal with your social problems" and refuse to pay a cent or take any ownership.
*bitter rant over*
*bitter rant over*
"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"
#12
AnonAnnie2
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 12:38 PM
What would people think about something like this?
I don't want to make anyone weep, but only 15 stories? if there ever was a place for a towering high rise its there.
#13
victorian fan
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 01:34 PM
I had a crush on one of those St Louis boys. I can still see his face but I can't remember his name.
But I do remember some school chanting at a basket ball game:
St Louis Collage get on you knees and pray.
But I do remember some school chanting at a basket ball game:
St Louis Collage get on you knees and pray.
#14
YOYO
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 03:24 PM
This is great news, the less religious brainwashing of our children, the better.
#15
aastra
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 04:48 PM
I agree. Government, corporate media, and popular entertainment provide more than enough brainwashing as it is.
#16
victorian fan
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 04:59 PM
When I first went to school, Beacon Hill in James Bay, we had a bible verse, the Lord's prayer and God Save the King.
#17
AllseeingEye
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 05:01 PM
YoYo your comment is infantile and insulting in the extreme: I am not Catholic and even I find your statement ignorant. Our daughter goes there simply out of respect for the fact Mrs AllSeeingEye was raised Catholic.
For your information, since you clearly have no understanding what you are talking about re: S-A elementary, the "religious" instruction consists of exactly 20 minutes each day. Nothing more, nothing less.
The only "brainwashing" I ever encounter is usually among the anti-religion crowd such as yourself. Have you evre attended S-A? Ever been to a parent-teacher meeting at S-A? Ever even stepped inside the front door of S-A? No? And since you clearly have idea about the curriculum there, I submit you haven't a clue about what you're talking about and are even less qualified to comment. Go educate yourself before you make such a sweeping statement. I could care less what you believe but would at least respect those beliefs, whatever they may be, without resorting to insults.
Try to play with the grown-ups on this forum and engage in intelligent discourse without resorting to tedious sterotypical blather. And for the record, the education Little Mizz ASE has received in 6 years at S-A beats - by a very long shot - anything I've seen recently in the public system.
For your information, since you clearly have no understanding what you are talking about re: S-A elementary, the "religious" instruction consists of exactly 20 minutes each day. Nothing more, nothing less.
The only "brainwashing" I ever encounter is usually among the anti-religion crowd such as yourself. Have you evre attended S-A? Ever been to a parent-teacher meeting at S-A? Ever even stepped inside the front door of S-A? No? And since you clearly have idea about the curriculum there, I submit you haven't a clue about what you're talking about and are even less qualified to comment. Go educate yourself before you make such a sweeping statement. I could care less what you believe but would at least respect those beliefs, whatever they may be, without resorting to insults.
Try to play with the grown-ups on this forum and engage in intelligent discourse without resorting to tedious sterotypical blather. And for the record, the education Little Mizz ASE has received in 6 years at S-A beats - by a very long shot - anything I've seen recently in the public system.
#18
Layne French
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 05:11 PM
This is great news, the less religious brainwashing of our children, the better.
I second that allseeingeye, I was imprisoned there from 1996? to 2000. I can assure you I was brainwashed right out of religion
It wasn't the best area in the late 90's and really hasn't changed that much. I doubt it is solely because of the homeless around the area.
#19
Baro
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Posted 09 April 2010 - 09:31 PM
I've always heard it was quite a good school. Many modern catholic schools are a long shot from the cult-training grounds of many evangelical/fundamentalist christian schools. They're generally just old private schools that happen to be run by a church. Many cases you don't have to be catholic or even christian to go there and aren't expected to pray or do anything like that, or so I've been told.
Anyways, let's keep things civil.
EDIT
Upon reading SA's website it seems I was wrong in how secular/scientific it is, sounds a LOT more creepy/brainwashy actually. I think I'm more confusing it with the catholic private schools in europe which in some places you can barely tell them apart from the state schools. Regardless, it's a centre of activity in an area that desperately needs something other than junkies, homeless, and the mentally ill (or often all 3) and I'm still sad to see it go.
Anyways, let's keep things civil.
EDIT
Upon reading SA's website it seems I was wrong in how secular/scientific it is, sounds a LOT more creepy/brainwashy actually. I think I'm more confusing it with the catholic private schools in europe which in some places you can barely tell them apart from the state schools. Regardless, it's a centre of activity in an area that desperately needs something other than junkies, homeless, and the mentally ill (or often all 3) and I'm still sad to see it go.
"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"
#20
Bernard
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Posted 12 April 2010 - 07:35 AM
As a Scout leader I have had youth in the Catholic schools and Pacific Christian schools. The Catholic schools have an element of religion to them, but is seems the big reason many parents send their kids there is to be in a more traditional school environment with less 'problem' kids, it is that uniforms and discipline thing.
As a parent you have to be a member of a local Catholic church to be able to send you child to the school.
Based on the kids I have dealt with, the education the youth gets seems to be on a par with the public system, though it seems to be less 'creative' - which may not really express what I am trying to say.
Pacific Christian is much more specifically religious as far as I can tell and the schools feels more like a place where people are insulating their kids from the big bad secular world.
Based on kids I have dealt with that attended Pacific Christian, they seem to be less well educated than their peers in the public or Catholic schools. Maybe they are learning something else, but their thinking skills, their problem solving skills and their creativity are all lacking.
As a parent you have to be a member of a local Catholic church to be able to send you child to the school.
Based on the kids I have dealt with, the education the youth gets seems to be on a par with the public system, though it seems to be less 'creative' - which may not really express what I am trying to say.
Pacific Christian is much more specifically religious as far as I can tell and the schools feels more like a place where people are insulating their kids from the big bad secular world.
Based on kids I have dealt with that attended Pacific Christian, they seem to be less well educated than their peers in the public or Catholic schools. Maybe they are learning something else, but their thinking skills, their problem solving skills and their creativity are all lacking.
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