Original Building: 1871 Wing

n 1871, the same year that British Columbia became a Canadian province, construction began on the first wing of the Academy, as it appears today. The design for the building was byJoseph Michaud, C.S.V., and was executed by Charles Vereydhen, an architect born in Belgium. Vereydhen arrived to establish an architectural practice in Victoria in 1858 and was one of only four architects listed in the Victoria Directory at the time.

New School (click for large image)

The cornerstone of this structure, the first four-storey masonry building in Victoria, was laid amongst a large group of church, city and provincial dignitaries, including Sir James Douglas and the Lieutenant Governor J.W. Trutch. As Governor Trutch spoke about the little school on Humboldt Street, he stated that the construction of learning institutions was "indeed amongst the highest duties of every Christian people, and especially of a community like ours, in its infancy. And ... it is impossible to overrate the benefits conferred by the Sisters of Saint Ann ... I rejoice that the prospects of the considerable extension of their good work has made it necessary to provide increased accommodation." (The British Colonist, September 13, 1871)




Although the 'New School' appears today as the wing between the Interpretative Centre and the Hooper Wing of 1910, it was originally a complete building. The main entrance to the original building was situated on the second floor, where a two-sided staircase converged into one set of stairs, that led up to the door. based on modern testing of the paint layers, the building was made out of red brick, which was painted a pale, golden cream colour.

Until the next addition was made in 1886, this building housed the school, and a small residence, as most of the Sisters were then living at the View Street location. It also acted as the regional headquarters for the Sisters of Saint Ann, in the west. A small chapel was situated within this wing, later replaced by the main chapel. When this original school became the western wing of the Academy, its uses were focused on classrooms and teaching.

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