Dedication ceremony highlights the pluses at GREC

May 29, 2014

While the road to building the new 65,000 square foot kindergarten to grade 12 Granite Ridge Education Centre (GREC) in Sharbot Lake and relocating 500 plus students and staff there has been a bumpy one, the official dedication ceremony that took place on May 22 was one of celebration. The event packed close to 600 people into the school’s new gym/cafetorium, which is a testament to the fact the new school is indeed a place where hundreds of people can now gather comfortably for special large-scale community events.

The ceremony, which was headed up by the school’s principal, Heather Highet, was a formal chance for her to recognize and thank all of the parties involved in the $15 million project, which was designed by +VG Architects in association with Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd. and built by Pre-Eng Contracting Ltd.

The new facility ,which the students refer to as GREC or "The Ridge", brings together the former school communities of Sharbot Lake and Hinchinbrooke under one shared roof. While Heather Highet did not gloss over the many challenges along the way, namely the delay of the opening until January 2014, the less than satisfactory outdoor play areas for the younger students, and other logistical challenges faced by students and staff, the ceremony was more focused on the many positives of the new school.

Highet first thanked staff and students for their “flexibility and patience” along the way and then highlighted the school’s big pluses. She mentioned the school’s eco-friendly design; its abundance of natural light; the cutting edge educational tools and facilities it houses, like its Snoezelen room, double gym and stage; the smart boards in every classroom; the auto/wood shop; its music/drama, school to community and family studies/technology rooms; the 2000 square foot library/resource centre and more.

Following Heather Highet’s remarks, local resident elder, Danka Brewer, gave an Aboriginal welcome and blessing to the school. Next, a video of the school's construction put together by teacher Eric Wotherspoon was presented, after which a number of guest speakers from the Limestone District School Board had a chance to speak. These included Board Chair Laurie French, Director of Education Brenda Hunter, Trustee Ann Goodfellow and the education officer with the Ministry of Education, Michel Chartrand, who was one of six who unveiled the new school plaque.

The highlights of the ceremony of course came from the students themselves. Grade nine geography students under the leadership of Danka Brewer sang a traditional Cree honour song. Grade eight students participating in the School of Rock program under the direction of grade eight teacher Julia Schall performed “Boston” and the cutest of all was saved to the last when the school’s primary/junior choir under the direction of Norman Guntensperger and Mr. Christopher Davison performed the Gryphon Medley, in which the school's Gryphon mascot appeared from the wings and led a final rousing school cheer.

While the road to GREC was not a easy one, students and staff seem to be settling in comfortably to their new digs, which by the next academic year school should have all of the surrounding outdoor work completed, making it look as good from the outside as it does from within.