425 replies to this topic

[Cassidy]

Although I wasn't particularly academic in Grades 11 and 12 ... it sounds like I may have had a slightly richer high school experience ... at least such that I choose to celebrate my school still standing for another 100 years - as opposed to celebrating that it was (or potentially could be) torn down.

 

Perhaps you would have had a much better time, and therefore much better memories if you went to school at Vic High?

[Nparker]

Hypothetically, is there a price at which even the most ardent supporter would consider the cost of refurbishing Vic High too much? $150 million? $200 million? Again, hypothetically speaking, if it were to be announced that the cost of seismic upgrades to Vic High meant that many other schools would see their seismic improvements delayed perhaps for years, would this in anyway affect anyone's opinion on the matter? 

[sdwright.vic]

i was only sad that it happened after i had graduated not before..

+1

[sdwright.vic]

I don't think any implication was made by those that were happy about there high schools being torn has anything to do with not having a "slightly richer high school experience".

I had a great time... the building was just old and crappy.

[Nparker]

Here are one person's proposals that give new meaning to the term Vic "high"

...The federal government should be petitioned to have the school and grounds declared a national historic site...To satisfy the need for a school, a new facility should be built on the school grounds. That building should be a net-zero energy consumer and built to address the educational needs of today (and the future). Four other buildings should be built on the site: a replica of the original school, a First Nations education centre, a three-storey seniors/low-income housing building and a transit hub with a parkade for the public, school employees and students. Throw in free shuttle buses within a three-kilometre radius...

http://www.timescolo...plex-1.23330126

Why build a replica of the original school especially as the writer goes on to suggest "the existing building should be renovated for multiple use"?  So there would be two identical buildings on the site? How about that transit hub/parkade in the middle of Fernwood? Has the author of this letter actually seen the condition of the roads that surround Victoria High School? They can barely handle pedestrians and cyclists yet alone the "free shuttle buses" the writer proposes service this odd collection of structures. And with all these additional buildings on the site, what green space would be left for student activity?

The only thing I take away from this letter is that perhaps access to marijuana is already too easy.
 

[Bingo]

I know I've been a skipping record about this over the years, but "Victoria sucks" is not an actual principle. It's self-deprecation, nothing more. It should never (again) be allowed to guide any decisions or actions, and whenever that card gets played it should be called out, regardless of the guise.

 

The Art Gallery is still in the wrong location.

I think the Vic High building might have made a good Art Gallery.

Then you build a new school to replace Vic High on the SJ Willis land, across from the sports fields at Topaz Park.

And then you sell off the excess land.

 

In any case I'm for preserving the heritage look of Vic High.

[aastra]

Ol' aastra is officially gobsmacked:

 

 

A 1,000-student facility complete with a seismic upgrade and a neighbourhood learning centre was chosen as the preferred option Monday night for aging Victoria High School.

The estimated cost is $73,322,302 and would include retaining the school’s exterior and some interior heritage aspects. The learning centre would house community programs.

from the Times-Colonist...

 

Victoria still has some surprises left in her.

[aastra]

The insightful SOB who posted the following was maybe more insightful than he realized:

 

 

If Kits is worth spending $65 million+ to preserve the facade on a new facility then Vic High is worth spending at least as much.

[Mike K.]

Ok, $73.3M is a lot less than $100M+.

[aastra]

In JSB dollars?

[G-Man]

Ok, $73.3M is a lot less than $100M+.

 

The 100M+ was only there to try and convince people to go with the replacement. It is classic JSB and Crystal Pool stuff. 

[Nparker]

...It is classic JSB and Crystal Pool stuff. 

Of course if this project follows the same pattern, the $73.3 million refurbished school will actually cost $120 million by the time the first students step inside..

[aastra]

Victoria needs the very best/safest schools just like it needs the very best/safest infrastructure.

[grantpalin]

Where does the money come from for this? Dopes the school board expect the province to cough up the funds?

[Nparker]

I imagine the dopes on the school board expect exactly that

[Cassidy]

Where does the money come from for this? Dopes the school board expect the province to cough up the funds?

Is not the cost of education, and the cost of educational facilities in B.C. strictly a Provincial matter? ... I believe the answer is "yes" ... meaning that the Province will cough up the funds.

 

The School Board will no doubt be obliged to stay within some sort of Provincially mandated budget, with money filtered from the Province through the School Board, but ultimately all of that money will come from the Province.

 

A wise choice, and although not yet "absolutely final", a positive choice made after taking all the facts into consideration.

[Bingo]

Ol' aastra is officially gobsmacked:

 

Victoria still has some surprises left in her.

 

My surprise is how detailed the cost estimate was. I'm guessing it will cost a bit more that that...say  $73,322,304.87 

[grantpalin]

Happened upon a site I hadn't known of before, Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria. There is a posting there voicing strong disagreement with the direction the school board has chosen, that is, to refurbish and upgrade rather than building new. The post points out, among other things, the potential issues arising out of estimated costs and higher ongoing costs of maintaining an old structure.

[Cassidy]

It's an opinion piece, and offers no evidence, and provides no expertise in supporting the claims made in the piece ... he just states them as fact to be accepted simply because he stated them.

 

Frankly, I'd rather read the diverse, but informed opinions of writers here on V.V. than I would on some website asking me for $50.00 in order to "belong". (although to be fair, it was presented as an "opinion piece" ... and as the old adage notes, like certain body parts ... everybody has an opinion).

[G-Man]

This one in Rock Bay is not looking too loved right now.