Arched Entrance Doors
After the 1926 fire, several major donors stepped up to make the new School, what we now call the Main Building, possible. The 1927 Shawnigan Lake School Magazine includes a pen and ink drawing with the caption, “A very handsome door and window which form the main entrance to our new building. This entrance was presented by various friends of the School who wished to show their appreciation in some concrete form. The design was the work of Mr. Douglas James of Duncan. Our most grateful thanks are due to the many friends who so generously subscribed for this.” We speculate that the donors consisted of parents of Shawnigan students, community members, and staff members, all willing to help the School succeed.
The arched double doors were made of oak, as was the surround with pilasters, architrave, and cornice with dentil moulding. The School Archives is full of photos of teams, Houses, and casual photos in front of these doors for 55 years.
In 1982, the local fire marshal informed the School that the doors did not meet fire code and were unsafe because, following long-outdated protocols, they opened inward rather than outward. Unfortunately, the doors had been repeatedly modified as the building settled, and in the process, it was discovered that the doors were actually fir with an oak veneer that was not standing up well to time and weather. Therefore, new rectangular doors were installed to open outward. In 1989 they were replaced again. This time, an entire new surround was built, copying the original design as much as possible. The pilasters were made on location, and this project was made possible from funds donated by Dr. Peter Banks, Chairman of the Board of Governors from 1985-1993.
Installing rectangular doors in an arched opening left an empty semicircular space above the doors. A custom-made stained-glass window was commissioned and installed, featuring the School’s coat of arms, and donated by Mrs. Mary Banks, wife of the Chairman.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
In 1982, the local fire marshal informed the School that the doors did not meet fire code and were unsafe because, following long-outdated protocols, they opened inward rather than outward. Unfortunately, the doors had been repeatedly modified as the building settled, and in the process, it was discovered that the doors were actually fir with an oak veneer that was not standing up well to time and weather. Therefore, new rectangular doors were installed to open outward. In 1989 they were replaced again. This time, an entire new surround was built, copying the original design as much as possible. The pilasters were made on location, and this project was made possible from funds donated by Dr. Peter Banks, Chairman of the Board of Governors from 1985-1993.
Installing rectangular doors in an arched opening left an empty semicircular space above the doors. A custom-made stained-glass window was commissioned and installed, featuring the School’s coat of arms, and donated by Mrs. Mary Banks, wife of the Chairman.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
