Latest news with #ElizabethZieglerPublicSchool
CBC
11-08-2025
- General
- CBC
Elizabeth Zielger Public School not expected to open until 2027, school says
The closure of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School (EZPS) in Waterloo has been extended once again. The updated reopening date of the school is now set for September 2027, according to an update posted the school's website on July 22. Previously, messaging from the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) was that the expected reopening would be in September 2026. On EZPS' frequently asked questions web page, it says "The report from the structural engineering firm retained by the WRDSB confirms that we will not have occupancy of EZPS for the 2025-26 school year." The school says that the board is working with the provincial government on next steps and funding opportunities for the restoration of the school, and that "while we continue to wait for confirmation from the Ministry of Education, our goal is to reopen Elizabeth Ziegler PS on September 1, 2027." School plagued with structural issues The nearly 100-year-old school building was shut on March 4 when a large piece of concrete fell from the facade. But, according to an engineering report released in June, additional issues were discovered including steel-beamed headers, floor and roof joists that are moderately to severely corroded, posing "safety concerns to any occupants inside or around the building." The over 500 junior kindergarten to Grade 6 students and staff will be displaced. Some will stay on the school's property in portables, while others will be moved to neighbouring schools.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Structural assessment report released on Elizabeth Ziegler Public School
Part of the exterior of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo appeared to be missing on March 4, 2025. (Dave Pettit/CTV News) The Waterloo Region District School Board released the results of its structural engineering assessment of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School on Wednesday. The report detailed the extensive repairs needed to the Moore Avenue building, which was built in 1931, after months of testing and consultation. The board closed Elizabeth Ziegler Public School on March 3, citing concerns about the façade of the structure. Many of the students were transferred to Sandowne Public School to resume in-person lessons, while others attended classes in portables installed at Elizabeth Ziegler. On April 1, it was also announced the school would remain closed for the 2025-2026 school year. Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo A fence blocked off access to Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo, Ont. on March 4, 2025 due to structural testing. (Dave Pettitt/CTV News) Structural assessment The report from Witzel Dyce Engineering lists several concerns. In particular, the school needs a new interior steel frame to support the structure. 'The deterioration of the existing headers, roof joists and floor joists poses safety concerns to any occupants inside or around the building,' the report reads. 'Repairing the deteriorated structural members is a critical step to reinstating occupancy for the school.' Structural engineers also identified other issues, including cracks, corrosion and deterioration of building materials. Elizabeth Ziegler Public School Crews work on the outside of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School on March 12, 2025. (CTV News/Colton Wiens) It recommended the installation of additional foundations, removal of the roof to create proper drainage and replacement of window supports. 'After the steel frame is installed, the exterior masonry walls can be repaired, reinforced and restored,' the school board said. The report also included recommendations to bring to the building up to current code standards, including resistances to seismic activity and an elevator. The school board said the proposed repairs would extend the life of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School, improve future maintenance and ensure the safety of students, staff and visitors. School board's decision The Waterloo Region District School Board said it will be moving forward with repairs to Elizabeth Ziegler Public School. 'We are working with the Ministry of Education to finalize the funding source and seeking approval for the restoration from the City of Waterloo, Municipal Heritage Committee and Building Services,' they said in Wednesday's release. The school board did not share the projected cost of the project. Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo, Ont. on April 1, 2025. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News) Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo, Ont. on April 1, 2025. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News) What's next Several steps must be taken before construction can begin. The school board said a design report for the restoration and repair of Elizabeth Ziegler Public School will have to be presented and approved by the City of Waterloo Heritage Committee and Building Services. They also need to secure a funding source with the Ministry of Education. These two tasks must be addressed before the school board said it can provide a timeline for the project. Also, based on the amount of work needed, they reiterated that Elizabeth Ziegler Public School will not reopen in time for the 2025-2026 school year. The Waterloo Region District School Board said they will provide families with an update on June 25.
CBC
14-03-2025
- General
- CBC
Waterloo's Elizabeth Ziegler Public School closed for the rest of the year
Waterloo's Elizabeth Ziegler Public School is closing down for the rest of the year after an assessment by a structural engineering firm said work to make the building safe enough for learning would take months to complete. The school originally shut down on March 4 after safety concerns were raised about the building's facade. The closure was extended twice, with students expected to go back on April 1. On Friday, Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) sent out a release announcing the full closure. "Based on the current assessment by the structural engineering firm retained by the board, we are not able to occupy any part of the Elizabeth Ziegler PS building," the release said. "Addressing these concerns will take time and the engineers estimate this work could take months to complete. This is a result of the mechanical and electrical connections that run throughout the building, as well as the large pieces of precast concrete and monuments that need to be carefully removed during the repair process," the release continued. In the meantime, students and families are being asked to pick up a Chromebook or iPad at the school on Monday to help to continue learning remotely. The board said it is adding additional portables that have "already started arriving at the school, with more portables scheduled to arrive over the next few days." However, only 12 portables are allowed on the property, which will not accommodate the more than 500 Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 students and the staff who attend the school. "Alternative spaces that support the needs of students in surrounding public schools are limited and a thorough planning process is on-going to accommodate all students in-person," the release said. The plan remains to have students return to in-person learning on April 1, but it's unclear where exactly they'll be.
CBC
12-03-2025
- General
- CBC
More than 50 public schools in Waterloo region may need repair, FAO report says
A report from the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) in Ontario shows that more than 50 public schools in Waterloo region are below a state of good repair. This news comes as Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo is set to be closed for most of March over safety concerns about the building's facade. In the report from December 2024, the FAO revealed 55 out of 123 public schools under the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) are below a "state of good repair" (SOGR). According to the report, a building that is considered to be below SOGR "either requires rehabilitation (repairs) or should be replaced with a new school (rebuilt)." This is determined using a "condition index" developed by the Ministry of Infrastructure, which says: A building is in a state of good repair if it has a condition index of 80 and above. A building with an index below 80 but above 20 needs to be repaired. A building with an index under 20 needs to be rebuilt. The report also said seven out of 48 schools overseen by the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) fall below SOGR. In an emailed statement, Bill Lemon, associate director of business services at WRDSB, told CBC News "this [report's] data comes from the School Facility Condition Assessment Program, which was paused during the pandemic and does not reflect current school conditions." "The next assessment cycle for WRDSB will begin next year, with approximately 25-30 schools evaluated annually," he said. The FAO report said that every year, about 20 per cent of schools are assessed. For WRDSB, that means 24.6 schools should be assessed per year — a number that aligns with what Lemon said in the email statement. Lemon said the WRDSB is "projected to receive $10.4M through the School Renewal Allocation (SRA)." "These funds are essential for replacing critical infrastructure that has reached end-of-life, including windows, roofing, flooring, and HVAC systems, as well as enhancing accessibility across our facilities," he said. Lemon also said WRDSB will receive a $33-million allocation from the Ministry of Education via the School Condition Improvement (SCI) Grant for 2024-2025, which should allow the school board to "address backlogged priority projects and bring older schools up to current standards." Lemon said the WRDSB has invested more than $225 million in upgrading school infrastructure across the district over the past five years. "While funding limitations mean not all prioritized projects can be completed immediately, we continue to make substantial progress." Elizabeth Ziegler Public School reopening uncertain Early last week, WRDSB shut down Elizabeth Ziegler Public School after safety concerns were raised about the building's facade. The initial announcement on March 3 said the school will be closed on March 4 and 5 to allow WRDSB faculty services staff and contractors to conduct structural testing. The closure was later extended to the rest of the week. On Tuesday, a news release from WRDSB said the closure will be extended up to March 28. The release also said students will be provided learning devices, which they can pick up at the school this coming Monday. Device pick up times will be announced on or before March 14. "Staff and contractors continue to work tirelessly in an effort to open the school as quickly as possible," the release said. "Teachers will teach synchronously and will be available to students during the regular school day hours on their Google classrooms." CBC K-W reached out to WRDSB to ask if Elizabeth Ziegler Public School is among those in the region considered to be below SOGR. WRDSB did not address the question in the email response. The FAO report indicates that as of March 31, 2024, public schools in Waterloo region face an infrastructure backlog of $178 million, and an additional $401 million is needed to maintain school buildings above SOGR. The total 10-year cost to clear infrastructure backlogs and keep Waterloo region public schools in SOGR amounts to $579 million. Catholic schools in Waterloo region face a much smaller infrastructure backlog of $5 million, as well as an additional $86 million to maintain buildings above SOGR, according to the report. The total 10-year cost to clear infrastructure backlogs and keep WCDSB schools in SOGR sits at $91 million. The FAO report said with the backlog plus the cost of keeping schools in a state of good repair estimated to be $21.7 million, and the 2024 budget being only $12.5 million, the number of schools below SOGR for the entirety of Ontario is expected to get worse. "If funded at this level, the FAO estimates that after 10 years, the percentage of school buildings that are not in a state of good repair would increase from 37.4 per cent in 2023-24 to 74.6 per cent in 2033-34," the report said.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo closed for two more weeks over safety concerns
Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo, Ont., will be closed for most of this month after safety concerns were raised about the building's exact concerns with the facade of the school were not released. The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) has extended the closure from March 17 to March 28. In-person learning is currently scheduled to resume on March 31. The school was also closed for most of last week. In a press release, WRDSB says students and families are being asked to pick up a Chromebook or iPad at the school on Monday to help with continue learning remotely during the temporary closure. "Teachers will teach synchronously and will be available to students during the regular school day hours on their Google Classrooms. Students are invited to participate as they are able," WRDSB said in the release posted online. Decision to close made 'out of an abundance of caution' The public school board says contractors plan to continue "conducting comprehensive structural testing" and "evaluating and determining next steps" during the closure. Before and after school programs run at the school are also closed. "The decision to close the Elizabeth Ziegler building was made out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of students and staff," the board said in a statement last week. A sign on the school's front lawn says there is road work underway on Moore Avenue. In an emailed statement, the city of Waterloo told CBC News there is no link between the road work and the school closure. The school's building was constructed in 1931 and is an example of the Gothic Revival style. A primary classroom wing was added to the school in 1954 and a gym was built in 1986. Further renovations to the Kindergarten wing were made in 2013.
