> Campus Plan FAQ
1. I’ve heard SJR has some plans for re-development. Will this mean a large expansion with a lot more students?
No. We are not planning an expansion, but we are evolving to keep up with the changing needs of our students and today’s best practices in education. For example, some of our current classrooms were built in the 1950s and don’t allow for students to work in teams or groups. The boarding dormitories are not as efficient as they could be. We know that to keep up with the needs of students we’ll need to address these issues.
What makes SJR special is we’re a small school and our commitment to that remains the same. On average we only have about 830 students. So, the changes we envision are not to attract more students but to give the students in our small school the tools to improve their opportunities to learn, study, research, imagine and create.
2. When will all these changes take place?
We’ve already addressed the concerns of some neighbours about the staging of buses on the street, which is the first priority in the improvements. The rest of the changes to improve the facilities will take many years. Initially, we want to improve our Senior School classrooms, which will mean removing the Hamber Hall building and renovating portions of the Kiddell Residence Building, including the Health Centre, for improvements to the boarding program We still have to raise several million dollars for these initial improvements, which may take a while.
3. I’ve heard there are plans for larger fitness centre or public event space on SJR’s grounds that will attract more people and traffic. Is that true?
No. We may in the distant future need to replace or refurbish the aging Dutton Arena at SJR with a new arena. We have a fitness room in that building and we would improve it for our use. If we are able to make changes to the arena then we’d like to include underground parking to help further reduce parking on the public street during our special events at SJR, like parent-teacher night or school concerts. We know that there is desperate need for more ice time in our city and we currently share our ice with a few other community groups. If we refurbish or build a new arena we will keep our promise to make our ice available to others outside of our school, as part of our commitment to the larger community. However, expanding the facility to allow for more sheets of ice or creating a multi-use public fitness facility is not being considered. While we may also need an improved theatre space in the future it will be for our use not for public events. In short we don’t anticipate an increase in the number of activities and events on campus that will attract more people or traffic.
4. Will the new buildings include tall towers?
No. SJR first moved here in 1934, 76 years ago, when the Wildwood community was undeveloped. We have a great deal of reverence for the heritage and architecture that has been developed over generations on this site. We also have a great deal of respect for the culture of the Wildwood community landscape that has developed around us over those years. The current plans show the new buildings will not be significantly higher than the existing structures.
5. Are you re-building in an environmentally conscious way?
One of SJR’s core values is a commitment to good stewardship. While we are a long way from doing full-scale architectural plans, our goals are to build to the Canada Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) specifications.
6. Who’s going to pay for these improvements?
SJR is an independent school and all of our reconstruction will be paid for through fundraising and donations from the private sector, alumni and current parents. There will not be any taxpayers’ dollars used in these projects.
7. Will the buses ever stage on the public street again?
There may be occasions when the buses will stage on the street intermittently. Some of those occasions may be while the bus area is being cleared of snow, if construction materials are being moved onto the campus or if the new construction activities affect the bus loop temporarily. Schools in Manitoba are allowed to stage buses on the public street and they do so every day. However it is our intention to avoid doing that as much as possible out of respect for nearby neighbours.
8. Will I still be able to jog through SJR’s property or walk my dog there now that the buses are there?
Yes, with caution to stay clear of buses or future reconstruction areas. We know we are part of the community when we see people who don’t have children at SJR using the playground equipment with their toddlers or jogging through the property or walking their leashed dogs. We’ve been part of the Wildwood community for decades and have always shared our private space with the public and hope to continue to do that in the future.
9. I am a Wildwood neighbour and I have a student at the Junior School. Bringing the buses on campus has cost the children hard-surface playing space. What can be done about that?
Our plans are to review available play space and ensure adequate space remains in the future.
If you have any further questions don’t hesitate to contact us.
Contact Us:
Dr. Stephen Johnson
Head of School
St. John’s-Ravenscourt School
400 South Drive
Winnipeg, MB R3T 3K5
Phone: 204.477.2402