Lynn Valley Elementary School
North Vancouver (SD #44), British Columbia

Lynn Valley Elementary replacement school was built to accommodate 275 students in grades one to seven, plus 50 kindergarten. The existing school remained functional until the new school was completed; the 1908 wooden schoolhouse fronting onto Mountain Highway will continue to function as a preschool.

The portion of the original school that was constructed of masonry in the 1920's was considered a heritage structure. As the Ministry of Education was not prepared to support the extra cost of renovating and incorporating this building into the new school, KMBR suggested it would be valuable for the North Vancouver District's Municipal Archives. This sustainable suggestion was taken up and it has been retained by the District of North Vancouver for use as the Municipal Archives. The older 1912 wood frame school was demolished.

As the area for new construction was limited between the existing fields and school, a two-storey classroom block scheme was selected. The new building forms an "L" shape with the classroom block running north/south along Mountain Highway, and the gymnasium, library and administration offices running east/west. The main entrance fronts onto Institute Road, on the east side of the site.

Classrooms are rectangular with the short dimension facing the corridors to economize on design space and overall construction costs. The classroom wing has been laid out to facilitate future expansion to accommodate up to 450 students.

Construction is tilt up concrete bearing walls with open web steel joists and steel deck structure. The design features glulam beams and columns over the library and main entry hall, reflecting back to the logging history of the Lynn Valley Townsite.