The original Caledon East Public School is opening its doors one last time before it closes for good.
The Peel District School Board is holding a final walk-through of the building on Friday, June 26, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., giving alumni, former staff and community members a chance to say goodbye before the new replacement school opens in September.
Stan Cameron, the currently sidelined PDSB trustee for Caledon, is encouraging residents to take part. He told the Caledon Citizen the walk-through was an idea that came from alumni themselves.
The existing school was built in 1971 and expanded in 1988 to serve 254 students, Cameron said, noting it was "built for a small community" and now serves more than 300 students. With multiple subdivisions on the way in Caledon East, he said, "the question was always going to be, where will all of those children who move in go to school?"
The new Caledon East Public School, slated for completion this September, will accommodate up to 650 students and received $32.4 million in provincial funding. It will also include a child care centre with 73 licensed spaces, an infant care room, a toddler room and two preschool rooms.
"I'm really mostly looking forward to seeing people, and seeing either graduates of the school, or alumni from the teacher staff level," says Cameron, adding he's looking forward to "hearing all the stories."
Among those planning to attend is Helen Hydon, a retired teacher who began working at the school in 1971 and retired in 1993 after more than 20 years. She told the Caledon Citizen she still sees her fellow staff members regularly and plans to hold a small reunion during the event.
"When I first joined the staff, we'd only got 179 kids," laughs Hydon. "We all knew every kid, and we knew their parents. It was a great place to work. I was so lucky."
"I'm glad they're thinking about us," she says about the walkthrough. "That's very nice that they're doing that."
Karen Martin-Robbins, who has served as school council chair for the past four years and sent four of her children through the school, will also be there. She said talks about commemorating the building began long ago, and the walk-through came together after people in the community said they hoped to see it "one last time."
"I had four kids go through that school and it's more than a building, it was the heart of our community," she says. "My kids formed friendships there, I formed friendships there, it means a lot."
"Seeing it demolished will be emotional because it's sort of the end of an important chapter not just for our family but for generations of local families who've sent their kids there and been part of that school community," she adds. "We're very grateful to have the chance to be part of it."
Martin-Robbins agreed the school has outgrown its walls, calling it "certainly time for a bigger school." Her son will be part of the first graduating class at the new building.
"I hope we can honour the legacy of Caledon East and let people have their moment with it," says Martin-Robbins.
She said the response to the event has already been strong, with local families and even past school council members planning to return. Many multi-generation families have a connection to the school, she noted, which is why the walk-through matters.
