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Charles E. London Secondary School is named
after Charles Edwin London, a progressive Richmond pioneer
who owned and developed the land (near the present day school)
in the late 1800's into a farm, store, post office, and
community wharf. Today London Secondary operates in a beautiful,
architecturally designed building that was completely renovated
and reopened in September of 1995. The school originally
opened in 1960 as an elementary school and then, in 1974
became a junior secondary school. The physical plant suffered
a trauma in January of 1991 when a fire destroyed the administration/counselling
areas and one adjacent wing of classrooms. After lobbying
the Ministry, the District and London's PAC at the time
were successful in having the 30 year old school completely
renovated from the foundation up. This time of transition
involved moving the entire school, with the exception of
the gymnasium, to a provisional school set up in modular
buildings and portables on the playing fields and tennis
courts northwest of the original site. The school functioned
in this makeshift campus of over 50 portable buildings,
fondly coined "Portable City", for two full school years
(September of 1993 through to June of 1995). The new facility
was completed just in time for school to open in September
of 1995. In the spring of 1993 the Board of School Trustees
decided that all secondary schools in Richmond should reorganize
and implement programs to serve the needs of students in
Grades 8 to 12. London added Grade 11 in 1995-1996 before
becoming a full Grades 8 to 12 secondary school and graduating
the "first class" in June of 1997. Charles E. London Secondary
School is currently in its eleventh year with a full Grades
8 to 12 enrollment.
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