Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker helped celebrate the official opening of the new Georgian Bay Community School in Meaford on September 30.
The province provided Bluewater District School Board with $29.6 million to build the new school. The new school is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 facility and includes an EarlyON Child and Family Centre.
Construction of Georgian Bay Community School finished over the summer. Located behind the former St. Vincent-Euphrasia Elementary School property at 197799 Grey Road 7 in Meaford, the new Georgian Bay Community School welcomed junior kindergarten to Grade 12 students and staff for the first time in September 2021.
The new school is a consolidation of St. Vincent-Euphrasia Elementary School, Meaford Community School and Georgian Bay Secondary School and is located at the site of the former St. Vincent-Euphrasia Elementary School.
Construction of the new school has enabled a wide range of new features and enhancements, such as power and energy savings, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, and improvements to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). The school’s interior includes new construction and transportation/manufacturing shops, a triple gymnasium, a cafetorium with stage, a library, and a music room. Among the outdoor features are a soon-to-be-developed track and sports field, a large green space, and hard-surface play areas.
Walker was joined by Meaford Mayor Barb Clumpus, The Blue Mountains Mayor Alar Soever, Bluewater District School Board Chair Jane Thomson, Director of Education Lori Wilder, Superintendent of Education Keith Lefebvre, School Council Chairs Sarah Milne and Tarren Gilchrist, local school board Trustee Fran Morgan, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff, Principal Kevin Wilson, Vice-Principals Julie Phillips and Danielle Carson and Student Senator Wren Marritt for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially opened the new school. The ceremony was broadcast live to students in their classrooms and to the community over the internet.
“This is a great day for Meaford and all the staff and students at Georgian Bay Community School,” said Walker. “The new school will provide a quality learning environment and new opportunities for the children attending this brand-new school.”
“There is so much to look forward to as St. Vincent-Euphrasia Elementary School and Georgian Bay Community School students, staff, and families join together to create a new history and sense of community in this remarkable new facility,” says Bluewater District School Board Chair Jane Thomson. “Thank you to the Ministry of Education for supporting this significant investment in the Meaford community, MPP Bill Walker for his ongoing advocacy and support, our administrative and school staff for their years of hard work, members of the build team for bringing the design to life, and of course, our students, parents, guardians, and families, who have contributed in numerous ways since the proposal for a new school was first introduced.”
“After an outstanding collaborative effort over the past few years that involved many helping hands, it is wonderful to be able to welcome students, staff, families, and the community to the new and improved Georgian Bay Community School,” says Fran Morgan, Trustee for the Municipality of Meaford/Town of The Blue Mountains. “Thank you to our dedicated staff, the build team, local families, community partners, and of course, to our local MPP Bill Walker and the Ministry of Education for supporting this venture to benefit current and future generations of area students.”
“Congratulations are extended to the Meaford and area communities on the opening of the much anticipated and completely modernized Georgian Bay Community School,” says Superintendent of Education Keith Lefebvre. “It is a historical moment to witness students and staff from the previous location unite with their peers from St. Vincent-Euphrasia Elementary School. Their storied pasts, unique legacies, and strong school spirit will persevere as they establish exciting new traditions and reinvent school culture together under the same roof.”
“We are thrilled to begin this amazing journey with our students, staff, and families at the new home of the Georgian Bay Thunder,” says Principal Kevin Wilson. “From our youngest junior kindergarten students to our secondary soon-to-be graduates, so much excitement and promise can be felt throughout the entire school as we enjoy the many attributes and enhanced learning spaces of our new facility.”
“Welcoming students from Thornbury to our new J.K to grade 12 school and including the very important EarlyON Child and Family Centre all under one roof, provides a creative and innovative opportunity to enrich the learning and the lives of our young people. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead for community engagement in our new school, and eager to see how we can all grow… together," said Meaford Mayor Barb Clumpus.
“From modernizing our curriculum to revitalizing our classrooms and their facilities, we are investing in our students and giving them every tool to achieve their full potential,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce. “Our construction of the new Georgian Bay Community School further demonstrates our government’s historic investment in Ontario’s schools and our overall commitment to supporting our students and families.”