TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — Demolition is now underway at the site of the Feb. 10, 2026 shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School that left eight people dead and traumatized the community deeply.
The excavators have begun to take parts of the school building out – a big step toward the planned demolition of the present building.
On Aug. 11 superintendent Christy Fennell updated the Tumbler Ridge community to say work on removing the exterior of the school was scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 17. The building is being dismantled in stages and this is expected to take several weeks.
When the structure is fully removed, restoration work will continue through the fall with plans to return the site to grass.
Officials have said that the work is being done carefully and in phases, with measures to minimize disruption and respect the privacy of those involved.
The school was the scene of the Feb. 10 tragedy, after the gunwoman’s mother and brother were shot and killed at a nearby home. Then the violence spread to the school where five children and an education assistant were killed. The 18-year-old shooter later took his own life, police say.
Following the tragedy, provincial and federal governments pledged funds to build a new Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in a different location. Earlier officials had said the decision to remove the existing school was taken following consultations with victims, their families and the wider community. They requested it be removed quickly and through a trauma-informed lens. The school district also said building materials from the demolition will be taken to regional landfills. The materials will not go to the Tumbler Ridge landfill.
The school district knew that for many in the community, seeing the building change would be a big deal and said the update was being provided in advance so that students, families, staff and residents would know what to expect.
“We understand the significance of this moment,” Fennell said in the community update, thanking residents for their continued care, compassion and understanding.
Demolition will continue over the next few weeks and the site will be cleared and restored and the vision for a new school will move forward, a process that was a tough chapter for Tumbler Ridge and the beginning of a new one.”
Source: School District 59 Peace River South
___________