On March 7th, 2022, we broke ground on the Iggulden Building and Athletic Complex renovations, officially commencing The Campaign for Ridley—the largest and most ambitious construction project in our 133-year history.
After four years of fundraising for The Campaign for Ridley, we are thrilled to announce that we have now entered Phase 1 of the Campus Master Plan. We are so excited to embark on this exciting new chapter in our history, building on our impressive legacy to reshape the learning landscape for future generations of young Ridleians and uphold our place as a global leader in education.
This page will provide regular updates on construction progress and key campaign milestones so that all members of our Ridley community can share in this experience with us and feel pride in our school and the strides we have made, and continue to make, as an institution.
For information on future plans for The Campaign for Ridley, please contact Kory Lippert, Director of Development, at [email protected] or 905-684-1889 x2211.
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Construction Milestones
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In February 2024, we opened the doors to our new athletic facilities. Attached to the Fieldhouse and ice rink, this new addition reinforces our commitment to physical activity and includes the following spaces:
Jack Aylott Squash Centre
The newly renovated Griffith Gym
Suzanne Court Family Fitness Centre
The JLL Foundation Yoga Studio
Neil Campbell Erg Room
Chaplin Family Athletic Therapy Clinic
New spin room
New student locker rooms
This significant milestone marks the culmination of The Campaign for Ridley, the largest fundraising endeavour in our school's history, which successfully raised $51.5 million from our generous community.
Flickr album: Capital Campaign Updates - March 2024 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin
Iggulden Building Updates
February 2022
Closure of the Iggulden Building
Swimming pool drained
Final remaining items and artifacts removed from the Iggulden Building
March 2022
Contractor mobilization on site
May 2022
Demolition begins in the Iggulden Building
June 2022
Storm sewers installed under the new quad
Walls in the Iggulden Building brought down to make room for new staircases, elevators and access points to the new lower level
July 2022
Deconstruction of north and south existing vestibules in the Iggulden Building
A new photo album added to Flickr to showcase the progress of the construction project
August 2022
Walls inside and outside the Iggulden Pool deconstructed to allow for debris access and removal
September 2022
Walls removed in the Iggulden Building to make way for new collaboration spaces
Interior and exterior walls taken down in and around the pool
November 2022
Swimming pool removed
Existing basement walls in the Iggulden Building waterproofed
May 2023
New windows and reinforced beams installed throughout the Iggulden Building
Concrete poured for the foundation walls of the north and south additions of the Iggulden Building
June 2023
Walls demolished, and support beams installed for our new Creative Commons
September 2023
Roofing completed and new windows installed in the Iggulden Building
Demolition of the Iggulden Building chimney starts
November 2023
Squash court viewing area and chimney removed from the Iggulden Building
Construction additions to the north and south of the Iggulden Building begins
Concrete for the south addition poured
December 2023
North addition of the Iggulden Building closed in
Work continues on the stairwell and utility rooms
Framing begins inside the addition to the south side of the Iggulden Building
Wall separating the former gymnasium and squash courts torn down
Structural reinforcements inserted to hold the chimney in place
April 2024
Power turned on
Drywall and windows installed in several rooms, including in the renovated Board Room, formerly the Iggulden Building Terrace
All bathrooms tiled and concrete steps poured at new entrance
May 2024
Drywall installation continued
Metal framing erected in lower part of building
Upcoming Milestones
Fall 2024
The Iggulden Building will be transformed into an arts hub on campus, fitted with a state-of-the-art Creative Commons, Learning Commons, Music Conservatory, Performance Hall, and Art Gallery.
Construction Site Safety
Rest assured, your child’s safety is our utmost priority during the construction phase. The safety standards maintained throughout this project will be to the highest degree.
Fencing has been erected around the site
The roadway through the middle of campus has been closed
An alternative pathway has been created for students to navigate around the construction site
Only authorized personnel are allowed anywhere on the construction site
In addition to the safety measures in place, we are taking a multi-phased approach to construction to minimize the disruption to student programming.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The project was handed over to our contractor (Aquicon) on March 7th, 2022 and construction preparation began imminently. The construction site has been fenced and secured and demolition activities in the Iggulden Building took place throughout March.
Construction on the Iggulden Building will take place between March 2022 and the summer of 2023. These facilities will be used by the students as of September 2023. The Griffith Gym renovation and addition will begin in April 2022 and be complete by spring 2023. The Fieldhouse will be closed for renovations from spring 2023 until December 2023. We are aiming to complete the entire Athletic Complex renovation by December 2023, at which time, construction will wrap up on campus.
In order to minimize the disruption to student programming, we are undertaking a multi-phased approach to construction. We have worked with our contractors to determine the sequence for construction that will have the least impact on students and that will ensure the safety of our students at all times.
The safety standards maintained throughout this project will be to the highest degree. Fencing has been erected around the site, the roadway through the middle of campus has been closed, an alternate pathway has been constructed for students to navigate the construction site and only authorized personnel are allowed anywhere on the construction site. In addition to the safety measures in place, we are taking a multi-phased approach to construction to minimize the disruption to student programming and emphasize student safety.
The entire Iggulden Building will be renovated to accommodate a new Learning Commons, Music Conservatory, Art Gallery, and Creative Commons. A 9,000 square foot addition for the Music Conservatory will be built on the west side of the Iggulden Building
An addition will be built onto the current Griffith Gymnasium to include a fitness centre, yoga/fitness studio and athletic commons. A new squash centre will be added on the north side of the Griffith Gymnasium.
The upgrade to the Iggulden building encompasses a 25,600 square foot renovation and 9,000 square feet of new construction. The upgrade to the Athletic complex consists of a 10,000 square foot renovation to the current fieldhouse and current change rooms as well as 20,000 square feet of new construction.
Physical activity will continue to be a priority for Ridley. Students will still have access to all facilities during designated times in the evenings and weekends, including the strength center, Tiger Arena and the Fieldhouse.
Spring programming will not be impacted at all.
The relocation of music, digital and visual arts from the Second Century Building (2CB) to the Iggulden Building will provide dedicated middle school space in 2CB. Future phases of the Master Campus Plan will address the needs of the Lower School.
Academics are at the heart of Phase One. Each component of The Campaign for Ridley will directly benefit students in the classroom. The Iggulden renovation (Learning Commons, Creative Commons, Art Gallery, and Music Conservatory) will provide Ridley with state-of-the-art teaching, learning and study spaces. The renovations to the athletic facility will also directly benefit the physical education curriculum and our emphasis on physical literacy across all ages.
Ridley’s emphasis on arts programming within this campaign speaks to our holistic approach to our education. We are offering students a wide range of opportunities, beyond academics and athletics.
Currently, the music programme is in the basement of the Second Century Building. This space is woefully inadequate to meet the needs of a first-class music programme for our students. Purpose-built practice rooms, performance space, classrooms and recording space are necessary to elevate music and provide a first-class experience for our student musicians.
Our Creative Commons will house a design makerspace, film studio, ceramics room, tech lab, and design studio that will elevate student learning in these areas.
Connecting the Creative Commons with the Music Conservatory, an open concept atrium will serve as a light-filled Art Gallery, showcasing student artwork and Ridley’s own extensive collection.
A new swimming pool is not part of Phase One but is included in the overall Master Campus Plan and will be part of Phase Two. In the interim, the swimming pool is now closed, and we have partnered with a local swimming pool to continue offering swimming to Ridley students.
The Learning Commons will effectively replace the Matthews Library. The Learning Commons will be a modern library with space for students to collaborate, work individually or socialize.
The space that the Matthews Library currently occupies will be repurposed to accommodate additional classroom space.
With the new renovations, there will be a variety of spaces and additional flexibility to accommodate gym classes and sport offerings for all Upper and Lower School students.
Donate
This campaign offers an opportunity for all members of the Ridley family to contribute to this generation’s legacy. We hope that you and your family will consider being a part of this campaign by making a donation.