Construction has begun on a new addition to Sydenham High School, a project that has been in the works for a number of years.

The 14,000 square foot addition, which was designed by H.M. Sardinha Architect Inc. and is being built by David J. Cupido Construction Ltd., will be located on the west side of the building. It will include four brand-new components: a new gym facility; a hospitality area that will include an industrial kitchen, serving area and an attached classroom; a new drama room equipped with a mini stage and auditorium seating; and a new computer lab. The addition required the purchase of some older homes on the site, which have since been torn down. This winter the land was excavated and presently the new footings have been put in place.

Years ago the need for more space was recognized due to overcrowding in the school’s athletics programming and physical health and education classes. There was also a need for updated classrooms in order to keep the student curriculum current. Principal Jessica Silver further explained that need when I interviewed her by phone earlier this week. She said, “Sydenham High School has a strong focus on healthy and active living. These new facilities will benefit both students and staff by allowing expanded programming in these areas. The addition will also bring with it exciting new opportunities for both students and staff by making possible expanded programming for students in all grades in advanced hospitality, and in the health and wellness specialist high skills major programs. We here at Sydenham are a very technology-based school and really excel in those areas, so the new addition will allow us to build on the already strong programming that we are currently offering here at the school.”

Silver added that the new facilities will also benefit the community at large. “We have a very strong community backing us and these new facilities will allow us to be able to bring the community into the school. For example, we will be able to share the new drama space with various community members and community partners as well as with the students and staff at the Loughborough Public School.”

Asked about any negatives that could go along with expanding the school’s foot print, Silver said she foresaw none. “Students and staff are very excited about the new addition and see it as something brand new to build on. I suppose the only negative is that these things take time.” Silver said that construction of the new facility should be completed sometime in the 2013/14 school year.

Cia Myles-Gonzalas and Genevieve L’Abbe, both paddlers from Sydenham, have been selected to attend the Team Ontario 2013 Training Camp in Tampa, Florida in March. The camp is offered by the Ontario Canoe Kayak Sprint Racing Affiliation. This will be 19-year-old sprint canoeist, Cia Gonzalas’s second year attending the camp. For 15-year-old sprint kayaker, Genevieve L’Abbe, it will be her first year attending the camp.

“It was hard work, but I learned a lot”, says Gonzalas. “I am pleased that Genevieve will also have the chance to participate this year too”. Cia’s hard work last spring definitely paid off in medals in the summer paddling season as she received a gold medal in Women’s U18 Div. A & B- C2 1000m; a silver medal in the Women’s U18 Div. A & B C2 500m; and a 5th place in Women’s U 18 Div. A &B -C4 500m at the Ontario Provincials Trillium Championship Regatta in Welland. At the Ontario Team Trials in Ottawa, she came in 7th in the U18 C1 500 m A Finals. In the final event of the season, she achieved an impressive 6th place in the Women’s C1 1000m A Finals at the National Championship in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Gonzalas, who trains with the Sydenham Lake Canoe Club in the spring, has been training in Carleton Place for the last two summers to give her the opportunity to paddle in crew boats. Gonzalas says that her training goal this year is to make it on to the Ontario Team.

Midget Sprint Kayaker, Genevieve L’Abbe, trained solo with the Sydenham Lake Canoe Club in the spring, but decided to move to the Ottawa River Canoe Club in the summer, so that she would have the opportunity to paddle crew boats as well. L’Abbe had little previous experience paddling crew boats, so she had to learn quickly. Genevieve says, “The secret is just to ‘keep calm and paddle on’” as one of her t-shirts logos states. Genevieve’s ability to focus and synchronize her stroke with her new teammates proved to be the key to her success in 2012. At the Ontario Trillium Provincial Championship Regatta in Welland, her crew received a gold medal in the Midget K4 1000m. Her Div. B crew won a gold medal in K2 1000m. Her Division A & B Midget C4 crew won a silver medal in the 1000m. Her Div. B & C crew won a bronze medal in the K2 Midget 500m. At the Ontario Summer Games in Welland, she won a bronze medal in the Women’s K1 1000m and the 3000m and a bronze medal in the K4 1000m. At the Ontario Team Trials, she won a silver medal in the Women’s U 18 K1 1000m and a bronze medal in the U16 K1 200m. At the Nationals, she came in 5th in the Juvenile & Midget C4 1000m A Finals.

Both paddlers are looking forward to getting an early start on the season and renewing some of the new friendships that they made last summer.