Cañon City Schools has started construction on additions and renovations to its flagship institution, Cañon City High School. Following a design process led by Wold Architects and Engineers, a leading national firm specializing in education with an office in Denver, work is underway on classroom wing and commons additions that will serve the school for years to come.
District leaders, including members of the Board of Education, district Superintendent Adam Hartman and Principal Bill Summers, joined local stakeholders, community members and project partners at a groundbreaking ceremony on August 16.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the launch of these significant additions and renovations to our campus, which will continue to set our students on unique pathways to learning and making a difference in our community,” said Bill Summers, principal of Cañon City High School. “As leaders in career-connected learning in the state of Colorado, we’re eager to see how these new state-of-the-art classrooms and student-centric spaces will enhance our education-forward environment and empower our students to hone essential skills and emerge as the visionary leaders our community needs.”
Originally constructed in 1961, Cañon City High School has served local students and families for decades but is in need of improvements to address structural issues, upgrade outdated infrastructure and replace inadequate learning environments. In 2023, Cañon City Schools was awarded a $23 million Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant preceding a successful bond election focused on funding critical improvements across the district. In addition to a replacement of the 1961 classroom wing, the addition and renovation will relocate administrative offices and include an expanded commons area, a new library and media commons, counseling offices and a maker space to support the growing career-connected learning pathways program.
A large new wing, which will align with the design and aesthetic of the school’s 2006 classroom wing, will be added to house classrooms and common areas in place of the “quad” portion of the school, which has served countless students throughout its 63 years as a Cañon City institution. Set for phased openings throughout the coming years, the new two-story wing is on schedule to be completed during summer of 2025 with the remainder of the project being completed by summer of 2026. The completed project will provide students with a modern educational environment in a building that supports the district’s continued growth and goal of supporting lifelong learning.
“As we break ground on this new wing, we are not just building a structure; we are laying the foundation for future success,” said Adam Hartman, superintendent of Cañon City Schools. “Today, we celebrate our community’s investment in the future of our students, and we look forward to seeing how the new learning spaces at Cañon City High School will serve them.”
Wold Architects and Engineers serves as the project’s architect and will work alongside project partners Wember Inc. Owner’s Representation and Nunn Construction, as well as 3 Rocks Engineering, a Cañon City-based firm which led civil and structural engineering efforts and has a longstanding partnership with Cañon City High School that includes recruiting interns from the school’s robust career connected learning program. Previously, Wold led a comprehensive planning effort to design additions and renovations at four schools in the district that were in need of updates, including revitalizing learning environments at Cañon City High School.
“We are honored to play a role in reimagining a space for learners at Cañon City High School to develop their skills and explore career pathways,” said Josh Grenier, principal at Wold Architects and Engineers. “The district has been an excellent partner through the facility planning process as we sought to maximize local and state resources, and we’re thrilled to see this crucial project take the next step toward providing students with a more supportive, personalized learning environment.”
Also led by Wold, the design for work at Lincoln School of Science and Technology, Cañon Exploratory School and McKinley Elementary has recently concluded. Construction will start soon as part of the district’s effort to enhance educational spaces across multiple institutions.
