On Friday August 31, local, regional, provincial and school professionals and politicians met with students and teachers of St. Michael’s High School in Low to break the ground on which a new gymnasium will be built.
The event took place a little more than a year after Ms. Stéphanie Vallée, MNA and minister responsible for the Outaouais region, on behalf of the minister of Education, announced an investment of $3,94M for the construction of new sport and recreation facility. St. Mike’s was built in 1935 and to this day, did not have a gym.
« If ever a school and a town of hard-working, philanthropic people deserved the support of our government, it is Low Quebec. This is a dream come true for St. Michael’s High School. We would like to thank M. Sébastien Proulx, ministre de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur and Mme Stéphanie Vallée, députée de Gatineau, ministre de la Justice and ministre responsable de la région de l’Outaouais for always supporting and believing in our amazing school. »
Debbie Picard, Principal, St. Mike’s High School
« This is a very special moment not only for the students of St. Mike’s, but also for the people of Low. I would like to extend an invitation to the municipality of Low and its citizen: we want to share these new facilities with you. This is yours to use. »
James Shea, Chairman, Western Québec School Board
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The new gym alone will be of 655 square metres (7050 square feet). The entire new school wing represents 859 square metres (9246 square feet). If seen from the air (not counting the multiple levels of the existing section), the school will more than double its footprint.
It is currently difficult to set a delivery date for the new gym. Director of Buildings, Equipment, Technology and Archives Pascal Proulx believes that it will be fully open to students as soon as the 2019-2020 school year begins.