New elementary school serving Senakw gets big capacity boost

September 2023 construction progress on the new Henry Hudson elementary school. (West Coast Steel)

Construction first began in late 2022 on the project to build a brand new seismic replacement building for Henry Hudson elementary school.

This future new school at 1551 Cypress Street at the southeast corner of the intersection of Cornwall Avenue and Maple Street in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood will be the school that directly and most closely serves Squamish Nation’s massive Senakw rental housing development.

Roughly one block to the east will be the First Nation’s development on reserve at the south end of the Burrard Street Bridge, with over 6,000 secured purpose-built rental homes accommodating up to 9,000 residents.

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Senakw’s first two phases are now under construction, with the first phase of 1,500 rental homes expected to reach completion in 2025/2026, and the second phase of another 1,500 rental homes in 2027/2028. The remaining 3,000 rental homes over the third and fourth phases will be completed by the early 2030s.

When the new Henry Hudson elementary school project first broke ground over a year ago, the seismic replacement was still essentially planned as a one-for-one replacement with a capacity for 390 students.

henry hudson elementary school vancouver construction 2023 1

September 2023 construction progress on the new Henry Hudson elementary school. (West Coast Steel)

Today, the provincial government formally announced it performed a mid-construction change order that altered the design of the new elementary school to provide a sizeable net gain in capacity. The revised design of the new Henry Hudson elementary school now offers six more classrooms for a new total capacity for 535 students, representing an increase of 145 additional students over the previous redevelopment design or existing school.

The new school building will still reach completion and open in 2025.

In addition to the elementary school uses, as originally contemplated, the new building will have a major childcare facility, including a replacement space for the existing 67 before- and after-school care spaces and the 20-space pre-school, and expanded space to handle an additional 69 kids.

The expanded design with extra elementary student capacity carries an extra cost of over $15 million, funded by the provincial government.

This brings the total cost of the new Henry Hudson elementary school to over $60 million, which includes the provincial government’s original commitment of $33 million, Vancouver School Board’s (VSB) contribution of $1 million, and the City of Vancouver’s funding of $11.2 million specifically for the childcare facility.

The new school building is being built on the western half of the Henry Hudson city block, within the footprint of the school’s playing field. Upon completion, the aging seismic deficient school building on the eastern half of the block will be demolished, and its footprint turned into a replacement playing field. This approach also eliminates the need to temporarily relocate students to other schools.

Henry Hudson Elementary School 1551 Cypress Street Vancouver

Previous concept: Original artistic rendering of the new Henry Hudson Elementary School at 1551 Cypress Street, Vancouver. (HCMA/Vancouver School Board)

Footprints of the existing and future school buildings at Henry Hudson Elementary School at 1551 Cypress Street, Vancouver. (HCMA/Vancouver School Board)

1551 cypress street vancouver henry hudson elementary school

Location of Henry Hudson Elementary School at 1551 Cypress Street, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

It should also be noted that the expanded Henry Hudson elementary school will not only help serve future student enrolment demand due to Senakw, but also the area’s general population growth due to the City’s Broadway Plan, which will significantly densify the eastern areas of the Kitsilano neighbourhood south of the school location. The southern boundary line of Henry Hudson elementary school’s catchment area is West 12th Avenue.

Over the long term, additional school capacity on other existing and/or new school sites could be required due to the area’s immense residential densification.

In a statement, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says he is “excited about the Province’s investment to expand Henry Hudson Elementary to better serve the community, accommodating growing student needs and enhancing learning opportunities for all.”

As part of today’s announcement, the provincial government also confirmed it will set aside over $150 million to build the long-promised Vancouver Olympic Village elementary school. When it opens in Fall 2029, it will have space for 630 students — making it one of VSB’s largest elementary schools in terms of capacity — and a large childcare facility.

“These investments will support families in our community for years to come once these projects are complete,” said Brenda Bailey, the BC NDP MLA for Vancouver-False Creek. “They mean so much more than just classrooms and child care. They provide meaningful support to families, ensuring they can stay in the neighbourhood they’ve come to love, while maintaining our community’s wonderful diversity.”

senakw squamish nation vancouver september 2022

September 2022 artistic rendering of the refined detailed design of Senakw: perspective looking east. (Revery Architecture/Kasian/Tandem Studios/Squamish Nation)

Another major new elementary school reaching completion in Vancouver in 2025 will be the new Coal Harbour elementary school. Situated on the seawall next to Coal Harbour elementary school, the 11-storey building will incorporate the elementary school for up to 340 students in the lower three levels, a childcare facility for 64 kids on the fourth level, and 60 social housing units within the upper six levels.

In August 2023, a 1912-built schoolhouse on the Henry Hudson school block site was carefully relocated by trailer, barge, and subsequently trailer again to its new permanent location on the Squamish Nation’s Capilano reserve on the North Shore. Last month, after performing site and building works at the new location, Renewal Home Development reopened the building for the First Nation, which is now using it as a learning centre for young Squamish children to learn their own language and culture.

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