Guadangaay Tlaats’gaa Naay (GTN) Seismic Upgrade, Amalgamation and Tsunami Tower

The Town of Masset, BC has witnessed a recent decline in the local population of school-age children. As a result, the two existing schools are too large for the current and future populations. From an educational and maintenance point of view, School Division 50 decided that the amalgamation of the existing schools was the best course of action for the community. Gudangaay Tlaats’gaa Naay School was selected as the school to be amalgamated, as it currently facilitates the educational needs and facility requirements for high school students.

A seismic investigation on the facility was conducted, and it was determined that an upgrade was also required for the school to ensure student safety in the event of an unforeseen earthquake event. As Masset is a remote Northern coastal community, rescue efforts are not as immediately available. The natural topography of the region is also susceptible to tsunami events. To further increase student and staff safety, a tsunami tower has been funded for the project. The tsunami tower will be the first of its kind in Canada.