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Sudbury Secondary being renovated to showcase arts

Rainbow District School Board trustees were offered a peek at the design of a new 40,000 square foot arts wing planned for Sudbury Secondary School at the Board’s November meeting.
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West views of the Sudbury Secondary School building as it will appear when renovations and additions are done in late 2011 or 2012. Supplied photo.

Rainbow District School Board trustees were offered a peek at the design of a new 40,000 square foot arts wing planned for Sudbury Secondary School at the Board’s November meeting.

The high school building, part of which dates back to the early 1900s, is undergoing a $20-million renovation and reconstruction.

The school renewal, which is funded in part by a $15 million grant from the province, is being led by Yellowega-Belanger Architecture.

The project started about a year ago with the renewal of the A wing, and is expected to last into late 2011 or early 2012.

“We’ve re-done most of the finishes, painted the school, as well as upgraded most of the electrical and mechanical systems. We have also given the school brand new science labs,” said Amber Salach, an architect with Yellowega-Belanger, who is leading the project.

“We’re currently in the construction document phase for a brand new gymnasium.”

Salach said her firm is just finishing the design of the arts wing, and construction will begin next summer.

The B and C wings of the school, which run along Baker and College Streets, will then be demolished, and 116 parking spaces and a place for buses to pick up students will be created.

The new arts wing will have modern music rooms and studios for dance, drama, visual arts, photography and media arts.

The dance studio will have large picture windows, so dancers practicing at night will be lit up from behind, and will be visible to the community, said Salach.

“One of our main priorities will be to showcase the arts. We thought a great way to do that would be to have the dance studios as visible to the community as possible.”

The arts wing will also house a new library, wood shops, auto shops and administration offices.

This part of the building will be connected to the Sheridan Auditorium, which is also being upgraded as part of the school renewal project. Many community groups make use of the auditorium.

“Before, (the Sheridan Auditorium) was very congested and cramped, and it didn’t celebrate the auditorium. We’ll pull some walls back. It will be a big open space, which will be great for events.”

Salach said some of the design elements which her firm has included, pay homage to Sudbury Secondary’s history as an arts school.

Decals of figures engaged in artistic pursuits will decorate the windows, she said. “We also have introduced sculptural elements that act as focal points, and draw not only students in, but community members. It creates a celebrated space. As you go along the promenade, it really highlights what’s happening in the building.”

Salach said the school will have a number of “green” features, including energy efficient ventilation, lighting and heating systems, low-flow toilets and lots of natural sunlight to reduce the need for lighting and heat regulation.

Rainbow District School Board director of education Jean Hanson said the school renewal is a “fabulous, fabulous project.”

“(Sudbury Secondary) is a wonderful old building, but in dire need of some upgrade,” she said. “This is an opportunity, through ministry funding, to provide that update. (The architects) have really done a very unique design, including the design of the Sheridan Auditorium.”


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Heidi Ulrichsen

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