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Heading : Marie-Rivier Secondary School
Location Name : École secondaire catholique Marie-Rivier
Street Address :711 Dalton Ave
City : Kingston
Short Summary : The project for a school community centre is launched in 1989 by the Centre Culturel Frontenac. This initial project was the conception of a service accessible to all French speakers in the region that would also be associated with a real and independent francophone secondary school, which would link the public and separate sectors. After a long struggle to obtain the apporval of Kingston’s municipal government, the groundbreaking ceremony for the school took place on December 5th, 1995, and the new location at 711 Dalton street was officially opened in the 3rd of September, 1996.
Executive Summary:
Marie-Rivier Secondary School
The project for a school community centre is launched in 1989 by the Centre Culturel Frontenac. This initial project is the conception of a service accessible to all French speakers in the region that would also be associated with a real independent francophone secondary school, which would link the public and separated sectors.
From its beginning, the French Canadian Association of Ontario (l’ACFO) of the Thousand Island region strongly supports the project. A representative of each member organisation of the Centre Frontenac must sit on the work committee to study the project. The feasibility of the project is confirmed in 1991 by a study realised by the Rhéal Leroux and associates firm, who evaluate the cost at approximately 10 million dollars. However, the firm estimates that the project is going to create employment and stimulate the local economy, at the time facing a recession. L’ACFO Thousand Islands and the Centre Frontenac are given the task of presenting the project to regional political representatives. The two school boards, for their part, request grants for the construction of a secondary school. It is the commission of the separate school board that obtains the first approval for the Marie-Rivier School.
In 1992, Marie Rivier is still housed in portables at the Regiopolis School. The portables look like mobile homes and the washrooms are located in the main building of Regiopolis. That year, the school receives a grant for $7 200 000 from the education minister for the construction of a school community centre. A fund raising campaign for the community part of the project is also organised by l’ACFO mille Illes on February 23 1993. The goal is to raise $300 000. The provincial L’ACFO writes official letters of support to the federal government. The federal government gives $572 000 for the community section of the centre. The public school committee obtains its grant and a partnership is finally made between the catholic and public committees. The public school board undertakes the steps necessary to obtain the site “Olan Mills, a former photography factory, to build the school community centre. However the municipal council opposes the purchase in an industrial area near the 401, almost outside the city. A long process of negotiations take place from 1994 to 1995 and ACFO plays its usual role as a negotiator, pushing for the project, and communicating with local authorities. In June 1994, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, Lucien Bouchard, intervenes publically to denounce the stubbornness of the city of Kingston in its opposition to the project. He was shocked by the Marie Rivier’s portables and judged it inacceptable that students could be left in such conditions. In September of 1994, the federal government gives $400, 000 extra for the construction of a theatre. The education and cultural ministers of Ontario recommend to the provincial government to invest another $813 000, which is accepted. The construction starts on December 5, 1995. The students of Marie-Rivier start their classes in the new location on 711 Dalton Ave, September 3, 1996. The official opening ceremony takes place on April 26, 1997.
The public school board, not having received the grant, must give up on a large secondary school project for the moment. However, the secondary public school Mille-Iles exists since 1996, as an independent school within the KCVI School. They face the problem of not having enough space with the rising number of student registrations. The rooms have no exterior windows and are not well lit. In addition, francophone students sometimes do not feel welcomed in this environment. L’ACFO Mille-Iles offers it support to the school board to find a new location for the school. Discussing several sites, the parents, students, and personnel chose the Clavin Park site on Van Order Drive. The new secondary school opens its doors in autumn of 1999.
Marie-Rivier Secondary School, 711 Dalton Avenue
Mille-Îles Secondary School, 164 Van Order Drive
Period: After 1950
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