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Argyle Project FAQ

​​​​​​​​​​Updated: August 2021

General Construction and Transition Phase

When did construction start?
The contractor commenced site mobilization at the end of June 2018, and major construction activity commenced at the end of July 2018.

How will construction affect students and staff?
During construction of the new school, the old school remained as is with no affect to classes. The new school was constructed at the location of the former grass and gravel fields, so the fields were permanently closed. A small portion of the gravel field remained accessible for school and community use, and this space is now the new parking lot. While school continued as usual, there was construction noise and increased activity of heavy machinery on the site and along community streets. We have appreciated student, staff and community patience and understanding during this time.

​Where will outdoor sports take place and where will physical education classes occur?
The gymnasiums and fitness centre at the “old school” remained fully accessible for physical and health education classes throughout the construction process. School staff had made arrangements to use other local fields for outdoor sporting events.

How will the heavy truck traffic be managed during school hours both at Argyle Secondary and Lynn Valley Elementary? 
Trucking is near completion.

A Construction Traffic Management plan is in place, which was reviewed and approved by the District of North Vancouver and conforms to municipal bylaws. Construction traffic will travel to and from Highway 1 via Lynn Valley Road and Mountain Highway, and will access the Argyle property via either Argyle Road and/or Frederick Road. ​

What will the construction phases be?

Phase 1: Construction of the new school and new parking lot on the site of the former fields.

The south grass field and part of the gravel field were off-limits for non-construction personnel as it had become an active construction and staging site. Access to areas designated construction zones were restricted. In the interest of safety, please always respect active construction zones and do not trespass into the secured, fenced-off areas.

Phase 2: Demolition of the old school (summer 2021).

Phase 3: Site work to daylight Kilmer Creek, off-site municipal improvements.

Kilmer Creek: Work is ongoing. Most heavy work is complete, with landscape planting yet to be completed. Diversion of water flow is scheduled to occur mid-September.

Off-site municipal improvements: Work is scheduled to commence mid-September and anticipated to be completed within 3 weeks.

Phase 4: Building the new playing field on the site of the old school.

The new artificial turf field is a District of North Vancouver project. It is our understanding that construction will commence spring 2022.​

When was the new school completed, and when did students start taking classes in the new school?
The occupancy date for the new school was January 4, 2021.

How many students was the new school built for?
The school was built to accommodate 1,300 students.

Were new housing developments in Lynn Valley taken into account when determining the capacity of the new school?
The school district works with professional planners to look at the broad scope of potential impacts on school enrolment numbers, including demographic changes, enrolment patterns, and residential developments planned in the community.

What is the budget?
The construction budget for the project is roughly $61 million.

Is the project on time?
It took longer than expected to both secure a contractor for the project and construct the project, so the project had fallen behind schedule. However, the occupancy date was January 4, 2021.

How will the history of the existing school be preserved?
We had heard from Argyle Secondary alumni interested in knowing how we would preserve the history of the "old school." We are pleased to share that staff and students from our Digital Media Academy produced a video tour project (documentary), which is available for viewing HERE.

School Design

What does the new school look like?
A video tour of the new school is available for viewing HERE.

Here are some renderings of what the new school will look like:


ArgyleOutside1.jpg

ArgyleInterior.jpg


What are some of the key features of the new school?
The new school is designed to support 21st century learning, with elements such as learning communities, multi-purpose adaptable spaces, a multiuse theatre, open spaces, and lots of natural light.

Will the new Argyle theatre continue to be named the James Buchanan Theatre?
Yes, the theatre name will remain the same.

How was community input integrated into the design?
  • A committee of staff and students was formed (Argyle Design Development Input Team) and the committee was consulted during the design phase to determine what their needs are for a new school.
  • A project steering committee was formed (specifically community user groups) and community input was gathered at intervals throughout the design development process through school tours and other input meetings.
  • A public meeting was held at the school to obtain community feedback. Community feedback was also obtained via online submissions, in particular relating to parking, traffic flow and playing fields; this feedback was used to determine final designs.

Who is the contractor building the school?
DGS Construction built the new Argyle Secondary. DGS is a family-owned company with 36 years of experience in large-scale construction projects, primarily focused on constructing new schools. They currently have several projects under construction for the Vancouver School Board and have worked previously on projects within the North Vancouver School District.

Landscaping

What is the plan for the famous “Plane Tree"?

The tree was not impacted by the project and will stay where it is.

What is the plan for the row of trees that line the sidewalk outside the present school?
The majority of those trees will remain in place.

Artificial Turf Field

When will construction on the new artificial turf field start?
The old school will be demolished summer 2021, making way for work on the new artificial turf field to begin.

The new field is a District of North Vancouver project. As such, questions around scope of the project, timing for commencement of the new field construction, lighting added to the fields, etc., should be directed to the District of North Vancouver. ​

Will the new field be named after Les Wilson?
​Either the practice field or the full turf field will carry the Les Wilson name.

Traffic

What improvements will be made to the routes to/from Argyle?
Travel routes to and from the school are being improved. An assessment of traffic patterns will be conducted during the first few months of occupancy in the new building, to help guide these improvements. 

Who can we contact for more information?

Updates will be posted to the school district website HERE. For further questions, comments and feedback, please email feedback@sd44.ca.