Grand View Public School, Cambridge: History
Grand View Public School is an elementary school of the Waterloo Region District School Board at 1144 Hamilton Street in Cambridge, Ontario, in the Preston area. The link to this page comes from a 2013 awards submission for the school's replacement building, which points readers to a Cambridge Now article about it. The history below comes from the board's own sources. Last checked: November 10, 2026.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| School | Grand View Public School |
| Address | 1144 Hamilton St., Cambridge, ON N3H 3G2 |
| Board | Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) |
| Original building | Built 1922 to 1923, opened April 1923 |
| Architect of 1923 building | F.W. Warren |
| Former names | Preston Continuation School (1934), Preston High School (1940) |
| Current building | Opened September 2012 |
| 2013 submission | CEFPI MacConnell Award |
The 1923 school
The school's About page records construction between 1922 and 1923 on a 5.25-acre site, with an official opening in April 1923 under principal John Cowie, who also led Central School. The architect was F.W. Warren, who also designed Elizabeth Ziegler Public School. The page names G.E. Mather as general contractor, at a price of $35,792 before plumbing and heating.
Years as a high school
In September 1934 the building became Preston Continuation School, teaching grades 9 and 10. A six-room addition followed, built by a Kitchener firm and designed by a Preston architect; it was in use by early January 1935. Enrolment rose from 120 in 1934 to 240 in 1940, the year the school officially became Preston High School.
The 2013 submission adds that 133 men from the school served in the armed forces in the Second World War, including principal R.O. Geddes, and that 14 of them died. Agriculture was added to the curriculum in 1946. High school students moved in 1956 to the new Preston High School on Rose Street, and Grand View returned to elementary use. A gymnasium was added in 1969, built by Dunker Construction for $84,300.
The replacement building
The submission says a boundary review to handle growing enrolment first led to plans for an addition. The board and its architects judged that the age of the school, accessibility problems and the use of the upper and lower grounds made an addition too costly, and chose a new building instead. The new school opened in September 2012, and the board expanded its boundaries to include the Deer Ridge community along with Preston.
The new building is set into a hill and connects the upper and lower playgrounds. The submission lists a green roof and barrier-free access among its features. It also says the original front entrance, a coat of arms with provincial insignia and stone gargoyles from the 1923 school were salvaged and installed in it.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Grand View Public School? At 1144 Hamilton Street in Cambridge, Ontario, in the former town of Preston.
When was the original school built? It was constructed in 1922 and 1923 and officially opened in April 1923.
Was it ever a high school? Yes. It became Preston Continuation School in 1934 and Preston High School in 1940, and returned to elementary use in 1956.
When did the current building open? In September 2012, replacing the 1923 structure.
What was kept from the old building? According to the 2013 submission, the front entrance, a coat of arms with provincial insignia and gargoyles.
What was the MacConnell Award submission? A 2013 entry by the school board for the CEFPI MacConnell Award, documenting the design and community process behind the new school.
Sources
Grand View Public School "About" page (Waterloo Region District School Board); Grand View Public School, CEFPI MacConnell Award Submission 2013 (PDF).