During its many years of operation, the Fort William Collegiate Institute went through various additions and renovations.

The original building, which was eight or ten classrooms, underwent massive reconstruction in 1918.

The school would not end up closing as dominant groups in Thunder Bay were sending their children to the collegiate and their pressure, along with the mystique of the school, made its closure all but impossible.

It was decided that two high schools in the South Ward, Westgate Collegiate & Vocational Institute and Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate & Vocational Institute, instead of three would be sufficient to handle the students.

It was the only high school in the area without shop or technical level classes.