Canyon Charter Campus Enters Next Phases of Remodel

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

The Los Angeles Unified School District presented the latest updates and developments of the Classroom Replacement Project at Canyon Charter Elementary School on Thursday, October 6, with construction slated to continue through 2025.

The Facilities Services Division presented a project overview, an updated project design and schedule.

LAUSD’s initial announcement that the Canyon campus would undergo a renovation stirred community concerns back in 2018, but community meetings kept parents and neighbors informed of the changes, which include the removal and replacement of temporary classrooms.

Temporary, or “portable,” classrooms were first put in place to accommodate increasing enrollment throughout the district. Per state requirements, LAUSD had to remove the classrooms purchased from the Department of Housing.

“I know it’s been a while since we’ve been back, for those that remember us when we started our community engagement process a few years ago,” LAUSD Facilities Community Relations’ Ashley Mercado said at the start of the meeting. “We have completed Phase 1 of the … Replacement Project.”

Phase 1 included the removal of two classrooms in one DOH building along Entrada Drive.

Senior Facilities Development Manager Scott Singletary said because there are so many portable buildings on the Canyon campus, they have amended the project to remove all portable buildings and build modern classrooms in place of them.

“We are going down the path to get under construction as soon as possible,” Singletary said.

Plans for this phase of the project include the removal of the seven portable classrooms left on the campus, removal of the kindergarten building, relocation of the Historical Schoolhouse building, and construction of nine new classrooms and support spaces.

“We’re going to organize the campus so that the kindergarten and our other new classrooms are in a two-story building, build a permanent construction with really great features and technology and a kinder-yard, and all that kind of stuff,” Singletary explained. “That will be great for many years to come for new students.”

Relative to the construction, the team has to reroute a sewer line and there will be general upgrades, including new land- and hardscape, play areas, and a new parking lot.

The presentation revealed that the project was approved for a $40 million budget. Singletary said the LAUSD Board of Education approved full construction funding for the project in November 2021.

Construction is anticipated to begin toward the end of this year or at the start of next year, and continue through 2025. Singletary said he foresees a 36-month construction schedule.

Those who missed the meeting are encouraged to contact LAUSD for a copy of the presentation.