Designs released for new north Hamilton high school
(The Hamilton Spectator: Wednesday, June 17, 2015)
By: Emma Reilly
Picture a school with a suspended indoor track, a greenhouse, dedicated hangout zones, and movable walls that allow classrooms to grow and change based on students' needs.
Now, picture that school situated next to an LRT hub, a recreation centre and a world-class stadium.
These are some of the features of the new north Hamilton secondary school presented to councillors and public school board trustees this week.
Designs for the $32-million high school have finally been presented in public, first at Monday night's Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board meeting, then at Wednesday's General Issues Committee meeting at City Hall.
The school, designed by Svedas and MJMA architects, will sit as an L shape facing the corner of Melrose Avenue and King Street East. The three-storey building will extend down Melrose and end at Cannon Street, just across the street from Tim Hortons Field.
On the same seven-acre block, the city will build the Bernie Morelli recreation centre facing the corner of Cannon and Balsam Avenue. A revamped Jimmy Thompson pool will remain at the corner of Balsam and King.
"This is a transformational project," said Ward 3 Coun. Matt Green. "I feel like this is going to be an absolute anchor — a city-wide jewel — and something that we can all be proud of."
The joint city and school board project is the culmination of years of acrimonious debate that saw multiple proposals come and go. The final plans, which call for a shared green space between the city and school board buildings, wouldn't have been possible if the often-tense relationship between the parties hadn't improved.
"It's not as if we've drawn a line down the property and one side is the city's and the other side is the board," said board chair Todd White. "To have all of those amenities situated in close proximity really shows how the organizations can work together."
The school has been designed with openness and flexibility in mind. It's a far cry from the traditional model, with rows of boxed-off classrooms. Designs include open and multi-purpose classrooms, places to study and socialize, and amenities such as the indoor track and greenhouse.
"When you look at it, it really does use that open space concept where students can collaborate and learn," White said.
Among the most interesting features is a multi-use space that can serve as both a cafeteria and a theatre. That space will feature a stage in front of a garage-style door that can open onto the green space facing Cannon Street.
Hypothetically, if Cannon were to be closed to traffic, public concerts or events held there could stretch from the stage all the way to Tim Hortons Field.
"That's something that either we as a school or the city could take advantage of," said White.
The project is set to begin as soon as the city lifts the construction freeze put in place for the duration of the Pan Am Games. The building is expected to open to students in September 2017.
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. Same thing happened for The Connolly.
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