After six years of planning and building Quw’utsun Secondary School has officially opened its doors, welcoming students and staff into the future of education in the Cowichan Valley.
The new facility is designed to replace the old Cowichan Secondary School with seismic upgrades, new facilities and up-to-date technology for students to learn on while incorporating a smooth transition into either the workplace, or post-secondary education.
Photo credit: Justin Baumgardner, VistaRadio
Masa Low is a grade 11 student at Quw’utsun Secondary and after spending the beginning of his high school career at the old facility, he says there is so much potential for his education, development and growth within the new facility.
“There is all new equipment for students to work from, and it’s very nice to be in a new building,” he says. “There are more spaces to work quietly, there are group meeting rooms, as well as lots of places made to accommodate students.
“So far, the school is proving to be very useful, but one improvement I could see would be benches for the bus stop.”
North Cowichan mayor Rob Douglas says the school has been in the works for a long time, and it bolsters everything students need, as well as a convenient location.
“It’s a great civic space with the campus for Vancouver Island University close by, as well as well as the community centre, and the library branch to help serve the entire region,” Douglas says.
Douglas, who is a graduate of Cowichan Secondary, says he has walked around the facility several times during construction but now reality is setting in.
“Right now, seeing students around here feels real,” he says. “It’s a new chapter for the community; I am really excited to see what happens in these walls over the coming years.”
The school is designed for 1,100 students, but according to a media release, it can expand up to 1,500.
The school was announced in Dec. 2019 and has been under construction since.
