Buildings

Kent Road School

Address:361 Kent Road
Use:Educational
Original Use:Educational
Constructed:1952
Other Work:Additions in 1955, 1962, 1976
Architects:Green Blankstein Russell
Firms:Green Blankstein Russell
Contractors:Peter Leitch Construction Company Limited (1952, 1955)
Surety Construction Co. (1962)

More Information

The many additions to this elementary school have created a pastiche of architectural styles and only vestiges of the early GBR design remain; at the front entrance in a variegated brown brick; in the shapes of the wall along the west elevation even though these have been refaced and all of the extensive glass block windows filled in, and in the east academic wing

This is a large school that responded to growth pressures in the neighbourhood with more and more space to eventually complete an irregular quadrangle shape around a courtyard for light and ventilation

The new school in 1952 contained only seven classrooms plus a modest multi-purpose room, to which six more classrooms were soon added in 1955, no doubt part of the original plan; 1962 saw six more classrooms and beyond that, it is difficult to track as it expanded

One further large construction stimulus came when the adjacent East Elmwood Community Club burned down in 1971 and the school built a large joint-use addition on the west side to include a big gym, meeting rooms and other facilities in co-operation with the City and the Manitoba government; there is a large parcel of land behind the school developed with soccer fields, ball diamonds, rinks and asphalt play areas

Munroe Early Childhood Centre, Inc. is also housed in the school

Design Characteristics

Suburb:East Elmwood

Sources