Farmer Construction Ltd. has been selected to finalize a design-build agreement with the Greater Victoria School District to deliver the Oak Bay High School Replacement project.
The naming of Farmer Construction Ltd., with design partner Hughes Condon Marler, follows an extensive evaluation of the three teams that were shortlisted to design and build the new high school.
“Today we have reached an important milestone in the delivery of the new high school for the students and the community of Oak Bay,” said Chair Peg Orcherton. “Having an experienced, first-class team such as Farmer Construction Ltd. to work with in finalizing negotiations is significant and we are looking forward to putting shovels in the ground this summer. The Greater Victoria School District is thrilled to be working with a local construction company that has an exemplary reputation both locally and provincially."
The next stage in the process is to conclude negotiations with Farmer Construction Ltd.; a process that is expected to culminate in a fixed-priced agreement within a few weeks, with design-build activities beginning immediately thereafter.
Once construction gets underway, it is expected that the project will generate approximately 100 full-time direct jobs for the next two years, said the district in a statement. The replacement school is scheduled to be completed by August, 2015.
The new Oak Bay High school will accommodate up to 1,300 students, including 100 international students. The school will include a state-of-the-art performing arts facility and a neighbourhood learning centre to host teens’ programs, daycare and other community programs.
The school will be designed to meet the latest seismic construction standards and will be built to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.