Families returning to campus will have seen evidence of the efforts of Trinity College School’s facilities staff over the summer months to maintain and beautify our 100-acre property and historic buildings.

First stop is Osler Hall and our kitchen/servery, which benefited from a number of enhancements, such as:

• Brightened spaces thanks to fresh paint in both the servery and the dining hall
• Slip-free surfaces due to the replacement of well used kitchen and servery flooring
• Sparkling chandeliers resulting from a thorough clean and polish
• Improved temperature control, lower heating bills and reduced carbon footprint realized through the installation of large fans in Osler Hall – with thanks to our Big Fan Project donors!

At the same time, the portraits hanging in the dining hall were also considered this summer. These portraits include the namesakes of Osler Hall, Marion and Britton Osler, generous benefactors who helped save TCS from significant financial difficulties after the campus fire of 1928. Also featured are past heads of TCS (with 20+ years of service); historic founders; and other honorees with historic service and/or philanthropy benefitting the School. For example, a new portrait was added to the collection, this past May, honouring one of the School’s greatest benefactors, the late H. Michael Burns ’56.

Led by the philanthropy & alumni office, the Osler Hall portrait collection was temporarily removed and examined over the summer, and the frames were cleaned and repaired. When being rehung, the collection was repositioned to feature the Oslers in the most prominent (west-facing) location, looking out over the entirety of Osler Hall. From there, alternating sides, the other portraits have been hung in chronological order, beginning with the most recent. This fall, uniform LED portrait lighting will be added which will highlight the collection, and new signage will soon be installed to draw attention to the subjects of the portraits, their contributions to TCS and also identify little-known architectural features of Osler Hall.

Other campus projects
A number of initiatives were undertaken across campus that will contribute to the look, usability and safety of our property, as well as honouring the School’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion:

New exterior flag poles: Based on the feedback of our community and the work of the Flag Advisory Committee, a number of new flags will welcome those visiting our campus and those joining our inclusive community. The Canadian flag, the Canadian Indigenous flag and the Progress Pride flag will fly outside, at the Rose Glen Road/LeVan Hall entrance, and a Canadian flag has been added outside the Junior School. The TCS flag remains above LeVan Hall and the Canadian flag will remain in its place of honour near the Memorial Cross. Interior flags in Cirne Commons and the Junior School assembly room will host displays that will rotate throughout the year based on the time of year and feedback from our various affinity groups. Please note: due to flag pole damage during shipping, the Canadian Indigenous flag is not pictured here as it was raised a few days after accompanying photos were taken.

Tree maintenance: Trees were trimmed and overgrowth removed campus-wide to promote the health and growth of our trees. Other benefits include: the removal of poison ivy patches, wasp ground nests and potential hazard trees/branches at risk during extreme weather, as well as improved campus security & sightlines when supervising students. Trees that were necessary to remove will be replaced this fall according to the School’s tree replacement matrix that ensures that any tree lost on campus is replaced at more than a 1:1 ratio based on its age.

Memorial Chapel enhancements: The chapel was the site of a number of projects, including repairs; new windows; paint retouches; new pew carpeting and lighting; and the installation of three 14-foot fans (as part of the donor-funded Big Fan Project), which will increase air circulation, improve temperature control, lower heating bills and reduce our carbon footprint. Note: Fans were additionally installed in the upper and lower gyms!

Exterior building refresh: Made possible by TCS donors, the concrete on the exteriors of Ketchum, Scott and Burns Houses, Fessenden Wing and Cirne Hall have been cleaned of past water and debris staining and now appear just as new! The Life Sciences building also benefited from some new black paint.

These are just a few of the many campus improvements and maintenance projects undertaken and/or led by our facilities staff throughout the summer. Our thanks to this hardworking team!