This afternoon the school administration issued a letter to the Hamber community announcing that the Ministry and the Vancouver School Board will allocate additional Neighbourhood Learning Centre (NLC) funding to build Hamber a 350 seat auditorium. Please see the letter below.
In our last update, we explained that Hamber’s SMP was temporarily on hold and the Vancouver Project Office Steering Committee had put forward a request to the Ministry of Education for additional funds to cover the unforeseen rise in construction costs to build a new seismically safe Eric Hamber.
Yesterday the PAC received an email from Minister George Heyman, MLA for Vancouver-Fairview, **read it here** advising us that the Ministry of Education has approved additional funding to cover cost escalations to build a new base-design Eric Hamber as originally approved. No funds have been made available at this time for additions to the base-design school such as an auditorium or increased space for the arts, music, drama, and fashion design program.
His email mentions a proposal for additional Neighbourhood Learning Centre space (NLC) at Eric Hamber. Funding for this additional space has not been secured; however, we did receive verbal confirmation from Minister Heyman’s office yesterday that they are committed to making this NLC space work and that parents will have input into defining the proposed NLC space. There is no project timeline nor budget for this additional NLC space, that we are aware of, at this time.
The school-based Seismic Advisory Group was advised yesterday that they have shortlisted proponents to design-build the new replacement school. The shortlisted teams have been invited to respond to an RFP that was issued on July 31st. The proponents were also asked to include in their design considerations a possible future addition of a Neighbourhood Learning Centre. The preferred proponent will be selected and awarded the contract early next year.
It is positive that additional NLC space designs are being considered in the RFP process; however we’d like to reiterate, there is currently no funding available for the building of additional NLC space at this time. The only comparable seismic re-build project to date is Kitsilano Secondary. The Vancouver School Board subsidized the Kits build to the tune of $4m. The VSB has not come up with any funding for the Hamber project. We encourage you to write to the Vancouver School Board Trustees and the Superintendent and ask them, why not Hamber?
There will now be a desire to move Hamber’s seismic project forward as quickly as possible to avoid any additional cost escalation. We encourage you to write to your MLA, the Minister of Education, Minister George Heyman, the Premier, Vancouver City Council and the Mayor to express your concerns. Without the additional NLC space, Eric Hamber will be the first high school built in Vancouver using only the out-dated BC Area Standards (2003). Based on these standards, the new seismically safe Eric Hamber will be over 30% smaller than the existing school, but will house the same number of students. Our catchment is along the Cambie corridor and our area is experiencing unprecedented growth. How will a smaller school in our community be able to support the increased demand?
Write to your MLA and tell him/her that Eric Hamber will be below high schools in other provinces in per pupil instructional and gross area space allocations. It will not be enough space to support the redesigned BC curriculum. Other provinces are leading the way in updating area standards to align with 21st century school design principles, so why is BC falling behind? School size and design directly impacts teaching and learning conditions for our kids and future generations of kids who will attend Eric Hamber!
Hamber’s SMP is temporarily on hold. As summarized in our recent letter to the VSB trustees, the estimated increased cost to build a basic school is $15m, (or $21m if you include the unallocated $6m NLC funds that were included in the original budget). This would bring the total cost to build a basic school (no auditorium, reduced spaces for the arts, athletics, library, storage) to $94.3m.
The VSB has put forward a request to the Ministry of Education for additional funds to cover the estimated increased cost only; they did not ask for funds for an auditorium or any of the other spaces we need.
Over the last several months, PAC members have met with local MLAs and VSB trustees. Everyone is supportive of the arts and athletics and agree that the new Hamber should have the necessary facilities to support its flourishing arts and athletics programs; however, at this point no one is willing to fund it.
The Ministry of Education and the Provincial Treasury Board will determine the fate of Eric Hamber’s seismic mitigation project in the very near future. There is a chance that they will decide not to build a new school, and instead upgrade the existing school.
The rally, in support of “building Hamber right” is this Tuesday at 3:30! We need as many people as possible to be there! Let’s show them how much it means to our children to #buildHamberright! Wear your school colours! Come and tell MLA Michael Lee how much it means to you!
Last chance to sign the petition! OUR PETITION will be tabled in the Legislature in Victoria on Wednesday, May 1st! We’re currently at 5,500 signatures...and counting!
We need volunteers to help at the rally. Please respond to this email if you can lend a hand. Meet at 3:00 in the parking lot at 35th and Oak.
Trustee Reddy sent this message earlier today. Hamber will be discussed at tomorrow’s VSB Board Meeting at 7:00. She asks parents to please attend.
This is the final push! The all-important Provincial Treasury Board meeting is scheduled for this week and the fate of the new Eric Hamber will most likely be decided then. Reach out to your MLA and tell her/him that they need to build Hamber right. They have the power to make it right! Copy the members of the Treasury Board like George Heyman.
Here is the full list of Treasury Board members:
Treasury Board Committee
Honourable Carole James (Chair)
Honourable Bruce Ralston (Vice Chair)
Honourable Adrian Dix
Honourable Rob Fleming
Honourable George Heyman
Honourable Lana Popham
Honourable Selina Robinson
MLAs: Jagrup Brar, Mitzi Dean, Mable Elmore, Bowinn Ma
Send your MLA and the Treasury Board members a copy of Hamber’s Project Definition Report. Subsequent to our requests for a copy of the project PDRwere ignored by VSB management, we received a copy through a parent’s FOI request.
The May 2018 report states that Hamber was originally allocated Neighbourhood Learning Centre (NLC) funding. Funding for an auditorium, more gym and library space, and other additional spaces - an additional 1,550sm or 10% more space than is currently being allocated. What happened to this NLC money? Who decided to remove it from Hamber’s project plan? We need answers.
The report projects that the new Hamber will be over capacity in the next few years. And it doesn’t even take into account the Oakridge transit site and Heather Lands developments which are both in Hamber’s catchment. So why will the new Hamber be 32% smaller? The smallest school per student in B.C.!
Recently we met with Michael Lee, MLA for Vancouver-Langara, Hamber’s riding. He sent this letter to the Minister of Education.
Previously we met with Minister George Heyman, MLA for Vancouver-Fairview. Last week he sent this letter.
If you haven’t done so, please sign the petition! We will be presenting it to the Minister of Education in the Legislature in two weeks time! OUR PETITION
In the event, this Provincial Treasury Board meeting does not deliver good news, we tentatively plan to do a big rally on the bleachers at the school at 3:30 on Tuesday April 30th. We need as many students, teams, staff, parents and future students to be there. Please encourage your children to attend. And please stay tuned for our updates on this.
We require your help and advocacy today!
We’ve just been made aware that the Vancouver MLAs are set to meet with the VSB Trustees tomorrow, Friday, April 12th and they will be discussing Eric Hamber’s seismic mitigation project. We need your help and advocacy now!
We also know that the Provincial Treasury Board is set to meet in April to decide if Eric Hamber will get more funding to #BuildHamberRight.
Please consider that the new Eric Hamber will be built to accommodate 1,700 students; the same number of students as the old school. However, the new school will only be 15,000 square meters whereas the current school is 22,000 square meters!
We ask that you email your MLA today! Find your MLA HERE.
Ideas for your email:
Ask for more funding so that Eric Hamber is built right and includes non-enrolling spaces like an auditorium, ample gym space, spaces for the arts and fashion design program, library, enough space for “real” 21st-century learning.
Remind them that our auditorium is used everyday and that our drama, band, strings, choir, and fashion design programs will not survive without it. Why will Eric Hamber be the only high school in Vancouver without an auditorium/theatre?
Tell them we will not have enough gym space to accommodate the current level of gym classes and sports teams and clubs.
State that you do not understand why a smaller high school is being built along the Cambie Corridor with massive residential developments at Oakridge Mall, Oakridge Transit site, and Heather Lands about to be built and part of our catchment.
Let them know that it matters to our children and future generations of children, to #BuildHamberRight!
Ask for a constituent meeting to discuss Eric Hamber face-to-face with your MLA!
We are counting on your support.
If you care about the facilities, and subsequently the program offerings at the new Eric Hamber Secondary which is scheduled to open in 2022, then you must attend the Facilities Planning Committee meeting on Feb. 13 at 7:00pm at the VSB. We need as many people as possible to be there!
The Eric Hamber Seismic Mitigation Project is on the meeting’s agenda. If you completed a project survey, either at the Public Info. Session or online, the only chance to hear the results of that survey is at the meeting on Feb. 13th.
Also there will be a grade 9 student from Hamber making a delegation at the meeting. The Hamber community, past, present and future, needs to be there in a show of support!
Free underground parking is available. To avoid being ticketed, you must record your license plate number in the binder located outside the VSB Boardroom.
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Attend the upcoming Facilities Planning meeting on February 13th at 7:00pm at the VSB Boardroom, 1580 West Broadway.
Sign our PETITION. Forward to your friends and family to sign.
Write a letter to your MLA, copy it to the trustees and to the VSB.
(Letter writing instructions can be found at the end of this post.)
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Thank you to those of you who attended the VSB board meeting on Jan 28th.
To our shock and disbelief, the Vancouver School Board trustees did not make a motion on our behalf to pause and allow for proper consultation to take place in the designing of the new Eric Hamber. They also did not motion to advocate on our behalf to the Ministry of Education to increase the footprint and allocated budget to get Hamber built right.
The next Facilities Planning Meeting is on Wednesday, February 13th at 7:00pm at the VSB. There will be other groups, including students, parents making delegations at this meeting about the Hamber seismic project. We need to give them a strong show of support so please make every effort to attend the meeting on the 13th!
This Feb. 13th Facilities Planning Committee meeting will also be the only public forum to hear the results of the VSB survey that we were asked to complete. We are asking for as many people as possible to please attend this meeting! (Please note that at last VSB board meeting, we learned that instead of a summary of your written feedback, the trustees will now be given copies of ALL the surveys to review and consider).
Some more amazing letters have been written. Please read the letters from two Hamber teachers, a Hamber counsellor, a Hamber grad, class of ‘72, and one from a grade 9 student!
Write a letter of your own to the Minister of Education, your local MLA, and trustees.
The Honourable Rob Fleming, Minister of Education EDUC.Minister@gov.bc.ca
The Honourable George Heyman, MLA for Vancouver-Fairview george.heyman.mla@leg.bc.ca
The Honourable Michael Lee, MLA for Vancouver-Langara michael.lee.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Superintendent Suzanne Hoffman, Vancouver School Board shoffman@vsb.bc.ca
With copy to All VSB Trustees:
Janet Fraser, Chairperson janet.fraser@vsb.bc.ca
Allan Wong, allan.wong@vsb.bc.ca
Fraser Ballantyne, fraser.ballantyne@vsb.bc.ca
Lois Chan-Pedley, lois.chan-pedley@vsb.bc.ca
Carmen Cho, carmen.cho@vsb.bc.ca
Estrellita Gonzalez, estrellita.gonzalez@vsb.bc.ca
Oliver Hanson, oliver.hanson@vsb.bc.ca
Barb Parrott, barbara.parrott@vsb.bc.ca
Jennifer Reddy, jennifer.reddy@vsb.bc.ca
On Wednesday, January 23rd, your Hamber PAC and the Hamber Alumni Association made a delegation to the Vancouver School Board Facilities Planning Committee. The presentation can be found HERE. At that meeting we asked the VSB Trustees to pause and allow for the proper consultation to take place in designing of the new Eric Hamber. We also asked the Trustees to do what they were elected to do - make a motion to advocate on our behalf to the Ministry of Education to get Hamber built right!
As a follow up we are asking you to please:
Attend two meetings at the VSB offices.
The first one is on Monday, January 28th at 7:00pm. This meeting is when the elected VSB Trustees should make our motion.
The second meeting is on Wednesday, February 13th at 7:00pm. We need a strong showing of support at these meetings!
Continue to write to the trustees, the Minister of Education, and your local MLA. Let them know how you feel. Tell them your story. How has your child benefited from the programs offered at Eric Hamber? (Instructions for sending your letters are posted below.)
Sign the PETITION. Forward to your family and friends.
Please send us video clips. We’re creating an archive of short (less than 30 seconds) video clips. We may use some of them in a short video. We’re looking for anything that portrays Hamber spirit! Sports, clubs, games, practises, rehearsals, spirit week, performances, competitions, fashion shows, victories, defeats, participation, we love our school...!
(Please note that by sending us your videos, you are giving us permission to use it in a promotional video and it maybe broadcasted on the internet or in presentations.)
A special thanks to Patti Bacchus for her well written article in the Georgia Straight about the Hamber seismic project. And to Carrie Bercic, a former Hamber PAC chair and a public education advocate, who has also written an excellent letter to the VSB trustees. Here is the PAC's letter to the Ministry of Education. If you read these three letters/articles, you will gain a good understanding on what the issues are with Hamber's seismic project. Use these letters and article as a template to write your own letter to the Minister of Education EDUC.Minister@gov.bc.ca and to your local MLA, with copies to the VSB Trustees.
We encourage everyone to send letters to the following parties. Let’s make some noise so that our concerns are heard. Please write to:
The Honourable Rob Fleming, Minister of Education EDUC.Minister@gov.bc.ca
The Honourable George Heyman, MLA for Vancouver-Fairview george.heyman.mla@leg.bc.ca
The Honourable Michael Lee, MLA for Vancouver-Langara michael.lee.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Superintendent Suzanne Hoffman, Vancouver School Board shoffman@vsb.bc.ca
With copy to All VSB Trustees:
Janet Fraser, Chairperson janet.fraser@vsb.bc.ca
Allan Wong, allan.wong@vsb.bc.ca
Fraser Ballantyne, fraser.ballantyne@vsb.bc.ca
Lois Chan-Pedley, lois.chan-pedley@vsb.bc.ca
Carmen Cho, carmen.cho@vsb.bc.ca
Estrellita Gonzalez, estrellita.gonzalez@vsb.bc.ca
Oliver Hanson, oliver.hanson@vsb.bc.ca
Barb Parrott, barbara.parrott@vsb.bc.ca
Jennifer Reddy, jennifer.reddy@vsb.bc.ca
If you missed the Public Info Session on Jan 11th, the display boards can be viewed HERE. The VSB survey is now closed. However you can continue to send your comments to the Ministry of Education EDUC.Minister@gov.bc.ca .
As of today, there are nearly to 4,600 signatures on the petition! If you haven't signed it, please click on the link below, sign and forward to your friends and family.
SEISMIC REPLACEMENT SCHOOL INFO :
Here’s what we know:
The Ministry of Education is providing $79.3 million to fully replace our school. It will be the largest seismic project in Vancouver’s history.
The new seismically safe Eric Hamber will be built next to the existing school on the northwest corner of the site. Students will remain in the existing school during construction.
The new school will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold standards. LEED gold schools are healthy, high-performance learning environments that include sustainable low-toxic materials, natural light, abundant fresh air, energy conservation, and reduced demand on local landfills.
Construction was slated to begin in summer 2020, with completion in fall 2022, but that date has been moved up as estimated construction costs continue to grow by 1% every month. Construction will now begin in January 2020, with a targeted completion date in early 2022.
From 2022-2032, the existing Eric Hamber will be used as swing space to accommodate future schools undergoing seismic upgrades. After that time, the old structure will be torn down.
Eric Hamber Secondary’s Seismic Replacement School VSB School Advisory Group consists of Eric Hamber’s Administration, as well as teacher, support staff, VBE, PAC, and student representatives. All Eric Hamber Department Heads have provided input to the Vancouver Project Office (VPO) on the functional requirements and needs of the each of their respective departments.
The new school will be built to accommodate 1,700 students, the same capacity of the existing school. The actual physical space will be 26% less than the existing school.
The Neighbourhood Learning Centre allocation is 0%, but there will be a child care facility in the new school.
The interior design will reflect recent VSB builds like Kitsilano and University Hill Secondary. Floorplans will support 21stcentury learning with flexible spaces, open concepts with multi-purpose spaces, and movable furniture. There will be” huddle spaces” in the halls with half-sized lockers, built-in seating, microwaves and sinks.
The current design for the new Eric Hamber does not include an auditorium. The drama studio and fashion program space will both be substantially reduced. The new school may not include a servery. There will be a dance studio and a band room.
Storage spaces will be substantially reduced in the new school. There will be very limited storage for musical instruments and sports equipment for example.
The allocated gym space in the new school will be reduced by 19% from what it is currently. This reduction does not allow for the current number of PE classes to be scheduled in proper gym facilities.
In addition, there will not be a track or a football field on site for at least 10 years while the old school is being used.
The field in the northwest corner at 33rd and Willow will be turned into a parking lot.
Jules Verne Secondary will continue to use Oak Meadows as their outdoor space.
Because the useable onsite outdoor space will be very limited and over-used, other neighbourhood fields and sports facilities may be utilized.
The cost to build an auditorium and increased gym space is 6 million dollars.
PAN (Parent Advocacy Network) calls for An AREA STANDARDS Review. http://www.panvancouver.ca/news/pan-calls-for-an-area-standards-review
BC Ministry of Education - Area Standards Policy
To give a very brief overview and supply some important information…
The VSB and province have decided to use the existing, Eric Hamber Secondary building to run as a seismic swing space to house students from multiple schools going through seismic upgrades and rebuilds in the future. This will save funds as currently they are placing students in portables for extended periods of time and paying to bus the students. Some are saying that this is all about bottom line and good timing for the political party on that media release last year and that this project will receive much attention due to the geographical location of the school. Either way, we believe the primary obstacle to achieving a superior replacement school is the "Area Standards" document that is now the basis for all school construction in the province. Given that everyone (including the Project Office, the Superintendent of Schools, and the Administration) is bound by this illogical document, the debate and notification of the document shortcomings must occur at the MLA and Minister of Education levels and the VSB trustees must advocate accordingly.
The Area Standards assumes that a student population will never increase over 1100 students. At 1100 there are no further additions to gym space, no matter how many more students there are. If the gym space actually increased as it should in that document, then Hamber would get more than 600 m2 for that purpose - enough for at least another small gym! The shortcomings of the document are leading to millions of dollars being invested in school designs that fall short of their communities' reasonable expectations.
This is an email that was sent to the Minister of Education this morning by Ross Davidson, Eric Hamber grad, class of 1972. He has given me permission to release as needed and I believe his email would be a positive share for current students, parents and staff.
To whom it may concern;
Since graduating from Eric Hamber Secondary School in 1972, I have worked in a nearby school district as a teacher and school / district administrator. I was involved in opening new schools, closing old ones and renovating a few worth saving. Clearly I know firsthand the impact rebuilding a school has on a community. I am a Hamber alumni whom, some would say, bleeds blue and maroon ( Hamber school colours ). I and my classmates are so connected to our alma mater that my old 1972 basketball team gathers each year for a golf tournament and storytelling session which includes players, coach and managers. In addition, as well as regular official school reunions, many alumni get together from time to time to reminisce and remember the good old days as a Griffin. Needless to say that Eric Hamber played a huge roll in our lives. In fact my life and career path was significantly shaped by that wonderful school and great staff. I forget most classes I took but will always remember the hours spent in the gyms and on the fields and the events and concerts in the auditorium. Invaluable times and cherished memories for sure !
When we first heard that the old building was being torn down, alumni were very sad but realistic in light of the seismic concerns. However, we just assumed the campus would be rebuilt with the same grandeur as the building that served so many for so long and stood as a beacon for public education at the high profile corner of Oak and 33rd. We are distressed to hear that some facilities such as gym space, track and field space as well as auditorium space will be reduced or eliminated. Driving down Oak street and seeing that track, fields and bleachers is a constant reminder of how a great school facility should be. A high school should be a pivotal place in the community. In fact, some would argue schools are replacing the church and town square as the centre of a neighbourhood. On behalf of all Eric Hamber Alumni, I urge you to rebuild Eric Hamber with all the facilities needed to educate the whole student and accommodate the growing community. Gym, music and fine arts space is integral to developing the whole student both from a curricular and extracurricular point of view. A 1995 movie I remember that helped guide my decisions as a school administrator focuses on this concept and I ask you to watch Mr. Holland's Opus. A quote from the movie always resonated with me and it goes something like this, "...you can teach the kids to read and write but without the sports and arts programs what will they read and write about ?"
Please consider the impact of the new school design for the future of our community, children, grandchildren and for generations to come.
Sincerely yours,
Ross Davidson
( Eric Hamber 1972 Alumni )
Together in support. On behalf of the alumni,
Andrea Nicholson
Eric Hamber Alumni Coordinator
604 454 8959
"Look to the past, Look to the present, Look to the future"
