The old home of the Richmond Hill High School will soon host a new generation of students within its classrooms.
Built in 1924 and in use as Richmond Hill High School until 2000, the 51 Wright St. building will be transformed into York Region’s first French-language public high school. Acquired by the Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest (CSDCSO) in 1998, the designated heritage property had been used as a Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto school location most recently.
“We have a need for a high school in this area,” said Jean-Luc Bernard, director of education at CSDCSO, noting a high increase in Richmond Hill’s Francophone population in recent years.
Bernard said that the new 63,000-square-foot facility will be built to accommodate 400 students from grades 7 to 12. Under the redevelopment plan, 60 per cent of the existing building would be renovated, he added.
“We’re very, very happy with the direction they’ve taken,” said Diane Giangrande, chair of Heritage Richmond Hill (HRH), regarding the school’s proposed redevelopment.
Giangrande and HRH recently endorsed the redevelopment plan, which will restore the school’s original facade as well as bring in modern additions.
“It’s not just the children that will experience the opportunity. The community will continue to experience the architecture and certainly the history of that building,” she said.
Construction and renovations will begin this fall.