King George Secondary (West End Community Hub Renewal)

The West End Community Hub will be redeveloped to meet the growing needs of the West End neighbourhood. The Hub includes King George Secondary School, the West End Community Centre, Joe Fortes Library, and other important civic facilities. 

King George has been prioritized in year 3 of the Board capital plan. There is consensus about the need for a larger school at the King George site to accommodate enrolment growth.

The renewal area is 4.4 acres and the land is owned by the Vancouver School District and the City of Vancouver, with the District owning 71% of the total land area (3.1 acres).

The project will be led by the City of Vancouver and is in partnership with the Vancouver School District, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, Vancouver Public Library, and the West End Community Centre Association. The plan will build on directions from the City of Vancouver's West End Community Plan and the District’s Long-Range Facilities Plan.

Current Status

• King George Secondary is the smallest secondary school in the District, with space for 375 students.
• The school is currently operating at a significant overcapacity with a maximum enrolment of around 600 students.
• King George was built in 1963 and is at high risk in a seismic event. The site has been identified in year 3 of the current Capital Plan.
  
• Government funding has not yet been committed for a new school at the King George site.
• Students attending King George are mostly from elementary schools in the area including Lord Roberts Elementary, Elsie Roy Elementary and Crosstown Elementary.
• In the future, students from Coal Harbour and the new K-7 school at the Lord Roberts Annex site will attend King George Secondary as well.
• The field space and tennis courts are operated by VSB and are exclusively used by King George secondary school students during school hours. 

Envisioning a New Secondary School

• The District is committed to building a safer, larger and modern learning environment to better serve the educational programming needs of students and the broader West End community. 
• Enrolment forecasts indicate a new school at the King George site will need to accommodate approximately 1000 students.
• As with all new schools in B.C., the design will follow the Provincial Area Standards.
• It is important to note, although a larger school is prioritized in the Capital Plan, no funding has been approved yet by the Ministry of Education. 

FAQ

 1. What community amenities are located at the West End Community Centre currently?

The community amenities operated by the City on the site include an ice rink, fitness centre, childcare, library and underground parking.

2. Why is the West End Community Centre on the District-owned land?

Currently, the West End Community Centre is on a part of the site that the City leases from the District, the School is on land that VSB owns, and the playing field and tennis courts are partly on VSB land and partly on land that VSB leases from the City. In the existing agreement, ground leases are provided at a nominal cost to both the City and VSB.

3. How is VSB addressing the current enrolment pressures in the West End area? 

To address enrolment pressure and better serve the community, the Board is funding the construction of two new elementary schools in the downtown area; Coal Harbour elementary and a new K-7 school at the Lord Roberts Annex site.

4. When will Coal Harbour open for student enrolment?

Coal Harbour Elementary School is in the design phase, scheduled for occupancy in September 2024. 

5. When will the new Lord Roberts Annex school open for student enrolment?

A new K-7 school is being planned at the Lord Roberts Annex site, following the completion of a BC Hydro substation.