Demolition of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School begins after mass shooting

Demolition of a British Columbia high school that was the site of a deadly mass shooting earlier this year has begun.

School District 59 officials said in a notice last week the work to remove Tumbler Ridge Secondary School will continue throughout the summer and is expected to be completed in the fall.

Six people were killed when 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar opened fire at the northeastern B.C. school on Feb. 10. Before the school shooting, Rootselaar killed her mother and half-brother at their home. Rootselaar died at the school from a self-inflicted gunshot injury.

Premier David Eby announced in May that the school would be torn down, saying students can’t return to the school where such a devastating event happened.

School officials said “every effort is being made to carry out this work in a way that respects the significance of the site” and minimizes disruption to the school and broader communities.

They said most of the work to remove furniture and other moveable materials will take place inside the building and materials will be removed using covered trucks.

Also, the building will be “carefully dismantled in stages,” rather than using more disruptive methods.

Furthermore, all building materials will be transported to regional landfills. The Tumbler Ridge landfill will not be used.

“While work continues at the existing school site, preparations for the upcoming school year are also well underway. Beginning later this month, the central complex for the Kodiak Campus will begin arriving on site,” officials said.

“This facility will include washrooms, offices, staff workspaces, counselling spaces, and a gathering area for students, and will be ready for the start of the school year.”

Officials added planning for a new school is moving forward and, in the coming weeks, the school district and the Ministry of Infrastructure will begin the process of selecting an architect to develop design concepts for the new school.

“When consultation begins this fall, students, staff, families, and community members will have the opportunity to review these concepts and provide feedback — the first step in creating a school that reflects the needs and aspirations of the Tumbler Ridge community,” they said.