Corpus Christi completes first earthquake-safe school since seismic upgrade mandate

In a single day, Father Bruce-John Hamilton was able to cross a lot of items off his to-do list.

It was the day before Thanksgiving, and the pastor of Corpus Christi in Vancouver had a lot to offer thanks for. It was opening a new school, a day care, and a parish centre. At the same time, a major accomplishment had been achieved – striking off the top item   from the parish’s seismic upgrade list.

The new Corpus Christi Elementary has become the first new school in the Archdiocese of Vancouver since a major seismic assessment of all archdiocesan buildings in 2013. The resulting Infrastructure Renewal Report outlined which buildings needed upgrades or replacements, and Corpus Christi found it had significant work to do.

Corpus Christi chose to rebuild rather than upgrade its high-risk facilities, and in 2018 it became the first school commissioned after Archbishop J. Michael Miller ordered all high-risk structures replaced or upgraded.

Besides the earthquake risk, the parish had other issues to consider, including crowded classrooms in a school designed in the 1950s and a lack of parking spaces.

Completing the new facilities in time for Thanksgiving required so many “coincidences” that Father Hamilton said they can only be blessings.

“So many things have come together which have been signs – you could attribute them to circumstances and luck but I don’t believe in luck – of God’s providence, God wanting this to happen,” Father Hamilton told hundreds of parishioners who gathered for the ribbon-cutting.

“All I had to do was co-operate and keep going forward.”

Among those blessings, he said, were a $1.3-million gift a 106-year-old parishioner left the community in her will, as well as a 4.7-acre piece of land – which the parish bought from the City of Vancouver for $25,000 nearly 70 years ago – that was successfully subdivided, with one acre selling for $13 million and putting the project 15 years ahead.

Then there was the co-operation of everyone from parishioners and project managers to construction workers and officials in Rome who had to be notified that a parish was selling some land.

“All of this wouldn’t have happened without the help of so many people,” said Father Hamilton.

Ground broke on the project in February 2020. Considering typical construction delays, the processes of obtaining various permits, as well as the pandemic, managing to turn a hole in the ground into a fully functional school in 18 months was “almost tantamount to a miracle.”

“Every time I walk through the school, I just fall in love with it all over again,” principal Rosa Natola told The B.C. Catholic.

“It’s just amazing to see all our dreams, everything that we worked towards, with everyone involved … to see it a reality really gives you a sense of accomplishment.”

She is particularly excited about a few innovations: a day care within the school for children aged 3-5, a large learning commons area with more opportunities than a traditional library, and an entire wing dedicated to special education. There are also four playgrounds.

Most of the $24.5-million bill for the new school and parish centre, which is Phase 1 of the parish’s capital campaign) has already been raised. Phase 2 will look at upgrading the church and renovating the rectory.

The desire to welcome as many families as possible to the school was one of the sparks that led the parish to expanding the school. Several years ago, after starting her job, Natola was shocked to receive 80 applications for kindergarten. Unable to accommodate even half that number, Natola approached the pastor at the time and suggested they set up a double-stream kindergarten.

Over the years the school continued adding classes and reached its capacity at 240 students. Now double-streaming kindergarten through Grade 5, the new school can accommodate 450. There are currently 398 students.

“I always think of the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand,” said Natola. “The space was there, even though we thought we couldn’t handle that many. It’s just amazing what we were able to accomplish.”

The new K-7 school opened just in time for the first day of the 2021/2022 year.

Grade 5 teacher Jennifer Plachta said starting a new year in a brand-new school is a “once in a life-time opportunity.”

She remembers how crowded the old school had become, with the library and staff room converted into temporary classrooms, and the pandemic only making everything feel more restricted. Yet, that small school was home to an incredibly strong community.

“At first I was a little bit worried because I thought in a bigger school, it might not be so,” she said.

Now, having worked in the new facilities for just over a month, she sees the opportunities. “We’ll have more teachers, so we’ll have more of a community,” she said. “It’s nice having the extra facilities… there’s so much space now. We’re really fortunate.”

The new parish centre, built for social gatherings of up to 200 people, is also fully functioning, much to the delight of parishioners who were previously setting up chairs and tables in the school gymnasium for every event.

The day care is also up and running with 16 little members, though its temporary home is the school’s music room while finishing touches are made to the dedicated day care space.

Looking at the school from Waverley Street, one obvious bit of work remains: the construction of the parking lot on the bare ground where the old school once stood. It’s all expected to be done by the end of 2021.

Archbishop Miller toured the campus with Father Hamilton, Natola, and a few others, blessing the teachers and sprinkling holy water in every classroom, bathroom, and storage room.

“Your vibrant parish family has every right to rejoice at the good work God has accomplished with you and through you,” Archbishop Miller told all those gathered for the official opening.

“Few building projects in the archdiocese have been the object of so many prayers as yours. How wonderful it is to be here to witness these prayers being answered!”