Since the building was accepted into The City’s facility portfolio in April 2021, we’ve taken extensive steps to assess its condition and its potential for future use.

Initial inspections of the building revealed roof damage and a deteriorating building envelope. We quickly took steps to address safety concerns and installed a shoring system to stabilize the roof.

While we carried out further investigations, we maintained the building as we would for any facility in our portfolio. To mitigate increasing vandalism on the vacant building, we monitored the property with a mobile security patrol and installed fencing around the building perimeter.

To understand what work we’d need to do to bring the building back to an ideal operating state, The City conducted the following investigations:

• A Building Condition Assessment (BCA) in June 2021. A BCA is essential to understand what repairs are needed in both the short and long term to make the building efficient, sustainable, and sound.
• Based on the recommendations from the BCA, a further roof and structural assessment was done in September and November 2021.
• An air quality assessment in September 2021.
• In August 2022, a third-party structural engineer was engaged to reassess the building’s condition and to determine costs to bring it back to safe and efficient use for the long term.

Our comprehensive investigations confirmed extensive roof damage, a deteriorating building envelope, and the presence of mould requiring occupants to wear an N-95 mask for health purposes.

Although The City has maintained the building and addressed serious safety concerns, in recent months, building deterioration has accelerated. Potential roof collapse and dangerous electrical incidents are considered imminent. 

The facility is no longer safe for inhabitants and its repair is not functionally or financially feasible. 

The decision to decommission a building is based on key factors including health and safety for occupants, lifecycle considerations, current building condition, the facility’s ability to meet its purpose, and the required investment.

A substantial investment is required for the building to be safe and sustainable for long-term use.

Further, through processes outlined in the Education Act and the Joint Use and Planning Agreement, other school boards who are part of the Joint Use and Planning Agreement were given the opportunity to express their interest in the facility before the CBE declared it surplus and closed it. The facility is no longer meeting its intended purpose in the community and it is at the point in its lifecycle that demolition is considered the optimal solution. 

Asset condition assessments have revealed that both playgrounds on the Kingsland School property are nearing the end of their lifecycle in terms of structural stability and will be removed at the time of building demolition. 

At this time, it’s not yet known whether playgrounds will be a part of the future use of this property; a variety of feasible options will be considered. For the time being, infrastructure such as sanitary and water utility lines near the playground will be preserved and capped in the event an inclusive playground may be constructed there in the future.
 
We are committed to keeping the community informed on the progress and possibilities of this site. 

The existing green space – including ball diamonds and soccer fields – will remain. The City will continue to provide snow and ice control, mowing and tree care on the site. 

Future use for this property has not been established, however The City will consider a variety of feasible options for this designated Municipal and School Reserve land. This type of Reserve land is typically used for schools, public parks, sports fields, or for other public recreation purposes. (Note that the Calgary Board of Education has indicated that educational requirements are being met by other nearby CBE schools and it does not intend to build another school here). 

Lands designated as municipal reserve are typically used for public parks, sports fields, or for other public recreation purposes. As the name implies, school reserves are lands set aside for use by public school authorities for school facilities.

The land is designated “Special Purpose – School, park and community reserve” (S-SPR) under The City’s Land Use Bylaw 1P2007. Certain permitted and discretionary uses apply and cannot conflict with the uses allowed by the Municipal Reserve status. Should the land be redeveloped for uses neither permitted nor discretionary under S-SPR, it must be redesignated to an appropriate Land Use district. 

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) closed the school in 2007 and the educational requirements for students living in the Kingsland community have been met by other nearby CBE schools. Student projections indicate that these schools will continue to have capacity to accommodate Kingsland community students well into the future.

The CBE has no operational use for the school. Through processes outlined in the Education Act and the Joint Use and Planning Agreement, other school boards who are part of the Joint Use and Planning Agreement were given the opportunity to express their interest in the facility before the CBE declared it surplus.

Further questions about schooling, school closures, or future schools should be directed to the Calgary Board of Education. 

Work will begin at the end of September 2023 with completion targeted for spring 2024.

The first two to three months will be mainly focused on hazardous material abatement inside the school, with the majority of external demolition work scheduled to follow. Building and playground demolition is targeted to be complete by early 2024.

In 2024, as weather permits, the land will be returned to green space and will be graded, top soiled and hydro seeded. 

Until facility demolition is complete, workers will be onsite from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sundays. Landscape work in 2024 will take place weather permitting. 

The first two to three months will be focused on hazardous material abatement which will mainly be contained inside the school. Approximately 10-15 workers will be accessing the facility.

Exterior demolition activities will follow. Excavators, load trucks, and workers will be visible on the worksite until building demolition is complete. 

The safety of workers and the community is always a top priority for all City projects. This site will be fenced off around the perimeter with warning signs fastened to the fence. Any time large trucks or equipment are accessing/egressing from site, flag people will be present to direct traffic and ensure safe movement.

All hazardous materials will be removed following stringent Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) regulations. Air monitoring will be in place to ensure that there is no risk to the public.

The project team recognizes its responsibility to be respectful to area residents. While in operation, construction machinery and trucks will be heard onsite, and all work will adhere to Calgary’s noise bylaws. 

Lighting will be onsite in the winter months for the beginning of work shift and the end of work shift. It will not be left on at night.

Dust will be mitigated using water mist.  

Yes, demolition work will pause when temperatures fall below -25 Celsius.

All site access and egress will be through the existing parking lot on 5 Street SW. Construction traffic will leverage 75 Avenue SW via MacLeod Trail to access the site.

It is not the intention to have any site debris migrate onto the surrounding roads.  Adjacent streets will be monitored at all times, and if cleaning is required, a skid steer with a sweeper will be onsite to clean up promptly. 

All building materials including metals, masonry, concrete, and asphalt will be recycled to the fullest extent possible, within reason.

Existing trees on site will be protected in accordance with the City of Calgary tree protection plan.

Once building demolition is complete, the land will be returned to green space and will be graded, top soiled and hydro seeded.