The Pemberton Woods Campus – Renewing the Old

The future of Pemberton Woods Campus looks towards changing the old and building the new. A new that provides long-term sustainability of the school, relying on facilities that keep pace with and support the evolution of already exceptional programs. It will commit to meeting the evolving needs of the school while growing a strong connection with the broader community and will ensure that students have access to the latest resources and technologies needed in preparation to thrive as leaders in a constantly evolving world.

So before further changes take place, a moment to reflect on those changes that have brought the school to where it is at. The 4.5 acre site has been referred to at various times as the Maddison Avenue, Richmond Avenue, Bank Street, and most recently the Pemberton Woods Campus, which recognises the original name and ownership, F.B.Pemberton. After the purchase of land from his estate, construction started in 1931. 

The Main Building is the oldest structure on the campus and housed all the students, except for the kindergartens, beginning in May 1932. The next step was to build a gymnasium the following year that would provide for indoor activities including Physical Training, Drama and Assemblies. It remained as such, with some extension and upgrades, until its conversion into the Scott Fitness Centre in January, 2016.

A treed meadow, previously grazing-land for a cow, provided the first playing field in 1932. Part of the land was quickly sectioned off to accommodate two tennis courts. By the 1940’s there was a ‘reasonable’ field for field hockey and a track for sports day.

After difficult times with senior enrolment and some leadership concerns that heralded the possible end of the school, Hugh Henderson took over the Chairmanship in 1955. With prudent planning and good support, senior grades were restored with two extra classrooms added to the Main Building. Things were now in better shape for the arrival of Miss Winifred Scott as the new headmistress in 1957 and the beginning of a new era of building and educational progress.

By September 1958, student numbers had grown sufficiently to warrant further building plans to help relieve the congestion in the Main Building. Three classrooms and a library were built on the north side of the gym and completed in 1960. Originally known as the Library Wing, the name changed to East Wing in the early 1970’s. In 1961, thirty feet was added to the back of the gymnasium to allow for a proper stage, kitchen and extra washroom and the additional room underneath became the first real Art Room. Of course, with amalgamation and the necessary changes to accommodate a senior co-ed and junior girls school on one campus, the East Wing was upgraded to a new Junior Girls classroom block in 1992 that would then change with further construction to become the Brooks Building.

After a review of provincial science programmes by the Dept. of Education, a new curriculum would come into effect in 1964. Prior to that date, the one and only science laboratory at Norfolk House School was the basement room in the Main Building, which was previously the Grade 7 and Grade 8 home economics room and is now office space for some

members of the Advancement team. Before that, it also served for forty plus years as the Book Room. The Atkins Building was completed in 1963 (50th Anniversary of the school) and former Headmistress, Miss Dora W. Atkins attended, to unveil a plaque naming the building in her honour. Twelve years later, expansion to this building was necessary and an enlarged basement and additional labs were built. The “new” Atkins Building was ready by the start of the summer term 1977. 

Post Amalgamation placed additional pressures on space and classroom accommodation for expanding Senior and Junior Girls schools. Planning and sequential building changes became known as “The Atkins Domino Effect”. A Math Block [later to be officially named the Simpson Building after a second floor was added in 1995] was completed in the summer of 1990 and allowed further additions to be completed in the Atkins Building and East Wing by 1992.

During the late 1960’s, increased enrollment meant more space was needed for a new Art Room, a second gymnasium, and a place for Music and Drama. With these spaces in mind, the Henderson Building was completed in 1971, named in honour of Hugh Henderson, Chairman of the Board from 1956 to 1970. 

In October 1987, after amalgamation, the “Big Room” in the Henderson became the starting point for the Performing Arts Centre—a versatile area with stage, carpeted tiers for seating for assemblies, musical and drama performances and was opened in 1989. Below was an Art Room that was converted to a music/choir room in 1995. 

In order to provide more classroom space in the Main Building, construction began on the new Administration Offices in 1977 at the Bank Street entrance to the school. It served both as offices for administration and a used clothing store. Once the Administration House was purchased and renovated in 1987-88 to serve GNS, this office block was used to accommodate some Junior Girls School office space. Then when the Brooks Building was completed for the Middle School and the Main Building was set up to accommodate the Advancement department needs, this building primarily became the Gryphon Store from 2004.

Most recently, with the addition and relocation of the performance arts to the Hall (2013) later to be re-dedicated as the Denford Hall (2018), upgrades to the Henderson/Performing Arts Centre, reopened in April, 2017, and now houses the Music Centre, Middle School Art, Health Centre, Staff Room and School Archives.

The Winifred Scott Library was constructed by early June 1977, adjoining the gymnasium,

with two classrooms underneath used initially by Grade 11 & Grade 12. These classrooms most

recently are used for Middle School Science and Design. The building was opened by General

Pearkes and in 2021 received an extensive upgrade. The new Library was re-dedicated as

the David Graham Learning Commons, after the much-loved former Middle School principal, but

the building remains the Scott Building.

The GNS amalgamation led to urgent building requirements, the first among them being a new gymnasium and classrooms for the senior school, with consideration for the impact on a junior girls separation, parking, playground space and traffic patterns. The Gudewill Building project was designed by architect Terry Williams, construction managed by Gordon Denford, and named after the Gudewill family, in recognition of their generous support. It was officially opened by the Hon. Robert Rogers, Lt. Gov. of B.C., on 6 November 1987. Since that date, upgrades have been  completed on the Gymnasium and in November 2016, a new Dining Hall was opened.

The new Turf Field was the first project completed in the Campus Transformation Plan. It quickly became the envy of local schools and community programmes when it was opened by Kristina Campbell, Chair of the Board in 2007. 

And now, stay tuned for the next new and exciting developments!