May 15, 2008

100th ANNIVERSARY OF BRITANNIA SECONDARY SCHOOL

J. Kwan: I rise in the House today to congratulate all of the students, staff, alumni and, in fact, the entire Britannia Secondary School community for celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

Britannia is the oldest remaining secondary school in Vancouver. The first classes were held in the Admiral Seymour building in September of 1908. In September of 1955 the gymnasium and cafeteria were added to the old building, and it was also at this time that grades 8 and 9 were added to the enrolment. During the 1966-67 school year a new wing was constructed, providing additional industrial education, home economics and business education classrooms.

In 1972 Britannia became Britannia Elementary-Secondary School. The elementary school opened its doors in 1975 with 370 new students for a combined total of close to 1,800. In 1975 there was the incorporation of the Britannia Community Services Centre Society, and that year Britannia became a community school.

Over the years we have seen the school expand in scope. Today it represents a model development for its multi-use complex, which includes the high school, the elementary school, an adult education program, community centre, ice rink, pool, library, child care centre, teen centre and seniors centre. Its grounds span over ten acres, and there is not one part of it that is not being used at some time during the course of the day. It is the heart of the Grandview-Woodlands community.

Grads down through the decades include a B.C. Premier, a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, a Chief Justice of the B.C. Supreme Court, an Attorney General, atomic physicists, architects, designers, professors, journalists and, of course, the MLA for Vancouver-Hastings.

There will be a Britannia centennial reunion on May 16 at Britannia, and on the 17th, an open house that will feature a living memory exhibit as well as an Italian barbecue and Chinese tea.

I ask all members of this House to join me in wishing Britannia a wonderful 100th birthday.