When a Building is More than a Project: Constable Daniel Woodall Elementary School

In life, every ending is the start of a new beginning.

In 2015, the City of Edmonton lost a public service hero, husband, and father. Constable Daniel Woodall was killed in the line of duty, but his memory will continue to live on, not only in the hearts of his family and friends but also in our community and its generations to come.

Edmonton’s newest elementary school has been named in his honour. Constable Daniel Woodall Elementary School opened this September, and it is has been Lenmak’s honour to have contributed to such a significant building in our community.

The Story Behind The Project

Constable Daniel Woodall served with the Greater Manchester Police for four years before moving his family to Edmonton, where he served with the Edmonton Police Service for eight years. However, on June 8, 2015, Woodall was killed in the line of duty while serving on the hate crime unit. He and his partner were executing an arrest warrant when the situation turned. Over 53 gunshots were fired that evening, killing Woodall and injuring other officers.

No one was prepared for the events of this evening.

If you were a member of the greater Edmonton community at the time, you will remember how the shock that followed this tragedy bled throughout the city and surrounding tri areas. What could have so easily resulted in fearful families seeking safety instead brought the city closer together. The greater Edmonton community came together as a family to support one that had been broken. Claire Woodall and her two sons felt the warm embrace of hundreds of thousands. Blue ribbons hugged lampposts on street corners, car antennas, and front yards, and the High Level Bridge was lit blue in Woodall’s honour and memory. 

Constable Daniel Woodall and his heroism would not be forgotten.

Thousands of people came from across and outside of the country to attend Woodall’s regiment funeral. It was clear he was passionate about police work and mentored students interested in pursuing careers in the police force. Woodall believed in the value of diversity and defending the community from abuse, hate and extremism. Everything a true hero stands for.

A fitting testament to live on, in the greater Edmonton community. 

Constable Daniel Woodall Elementary School

The Constable Daniel Woodall Elementary School is a testament to the goodness of people. There is more love than hate in this world. There are individuals, and children no less, who want to be the best versions of themselves. There are children who want to learn and grow to be better, and this is exactly how Daniel Woodall lived.

Edmonton students attending this school will be privileged to learn and to know the spirit of Woodall and take it with them throughout their education. Our hope is that these students will take the heroism of Woodall and allow it to push them to work hard, persevere, and make a difference in this world. Woodall’s life and work was and stays proof that no matter how big or small, we can all have an impact. 

Working on such a significant project was a unifying process for us and our project partners unlike ever before. Though we have been privileged to work with a number collaborative teams on many of our cladding projects, all of us who worked on the Woodall school were proud to be building a memory for an Edmontonian hero. There is an intrinsic sense of justice you want to serve to ensure every aspect of the project reflects who Woodall was, and what he did for our community.

This time, we weren’t just building a building, we were creating a memorial. A building to be filled with vibrant minds and all the potential in the world, named after a man who believed in every single one of them.

Thanking Constable Woodall

Contributing our part to the Constable Daniel Woodall Elementary School has been an absolute honour. There are not enough words to describe what it means to contribute to one of the city’s most valued structures. The Woodall family will forever be in our hearts, and we, like the City of Edmonton, are eternally grateful for the sacrifices Constable Daniel Woodall made for our community and home.

Credits to our Partners:

• Sub-Contractor (cladding/building envelope): Deane Roofing & Cladding Limited
• General Contractor: Graham Construction
• Design: The Workun Garrick Partnership Architecture & Interior Design Inc.