A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Queen Mary elementary Monday. Education Minister George Abbott, school board trustees and administrators, local dignitaries, construction personnel and students were all on hand to mark the occasion.

First opened in 1914, the school is about to undergo an approximately $20 million restoration and rebuild, seeing its interior replaced, modernized and upgraded to current building and seismic codes.

Exterior renovations will maintain the school's historic character. The grounds will also be improved, including playground landscaping and updates as well as the refurbishment of hard surface areas.

The project, which includes seeing the school built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold or equivalent standards, is expected to be completed by September 2013.