Address: 295 Sutton Avenue (Map)
Architect: Ward and Macdonald Associates
Contractor: Wyatt Construction Company
Opened: February 27, 1961
Post-war suburban development swelled the population of the municipalities that immediately surrounded the city of Winnipeg including the city of East Kildonan and the R.M. of North Kildonan. A major investment in the school infrastructure of this once largely rural area was needed to keep up with the population boom.
River East School Division No. 9 was created in 1959. It incorporated these two municipalities as well as East St. Paul and part of St. Clements. On February 9, 1960, the new board went before ratepayers with a pair of money bylaws totalling $945,000 to cover the cost of expanding Miles Macdonell Collegiate and for the construction of a new collegiate in North Kildonan. Voters approved the spending by a vote of 1,319 to 244, (there was just 10 per cent voter turnout.)
Feb. 8, 1960, Winnipeg Free Press
The firm dates back to 1912 and was embarking on a new era of working on school projects. After this, they would go on to design Maple Leaf School (1961); an addition to West Kildonan Collegiate (1961); an addition to Garden City Collegiate (1964); W. C. Miller Collegiate in Altona (1964); and Laidlaw School (1965). The Winnipeg Architecture Foundation estimates they worked on around 500 school projects across the province between the late 1950s and late 1970s.
The tender for the construction of a "masonry, concrete and steel thirty-seven classroom equivalent Collegiate Building, North Kildonan" was advertised starting in April 1, 1960. The winning bid came from Wyatt Construction Company of McMillan Avenue. Its president, Fred R. Wyatt, was also the owner of Wyatt Rentals which operated from that address until around 2000.
Soon after construction got underway it was clear that the collegiate wouldn't be ready in time for the 1960 - 61 school year. A hint as to when the first students were admitted comes in a November classified ad looking to hire the last couple of teachers which noted a "January 1961" opening.
The formal opening of the $500,000 River East Collegiate took place on February 27, 1961. For its nearly 250 students, there were 15 classrooms as well as home ec rooms, shops, two laboratories, a library and a hybrid gymnasium / auditorium.The school division also had an office in the building.
R. W. Lightly, chief inspector of schools for the province, and B. E. Glavin, chairman of the school division, officiated over the opening. Also in attendance was North Kildonan mayor John Dixon and River East's first principal, Alex Smaluc. An accordion band and the Miles Mac Collegiate Orchestra provided the entertainment.
The 1960 - 61 teaching staff at River East Collegiate was made up of: Irene Isabel Artes; Mary Stevenson; Jacob Regehr; Edward William Kleiman; Hubert William Whitehead; Hugh Russel Makepeace; Joseph John Grenon; Daniel William Doerksen; Lorna Catherine Madill; Hermann Rempel and Donald Ross McMaster. (Source).
A sign of how fast the area's population was growing was that less than two years later, in October 1962, the school division was back asking ratepayers to approve spending for the $650,000 phase two of River East Collegiate. It was approved by a vote of 3,484 to 2,560.
The new wing at the rear of the building had always been part of the plan for the school as designed by Ward and Macdonald Associates. The 36-room expansion added another 20 classrooms and one laboratory to bring the capacity of the school to 1,200 students. It also allowed for an expansion of the library, auto shop, music room, and visual arts space.
It opened to students in late November. The formal opening, including an open house for the community, took place on the evening of February 26, 1964.
Over the years, the River East Collegiate has undergone smaller additions, including one in 1975.
In 1983 a major renovation removed the large windows from the facade and replaced them with escape windows and stucco walls, giving the front of the building the appearance of the rear of a detention facility.
The exterior underwent another major facelift in 2018.
Related:
My Flickr album of River East Collegiate
295 Sutton Avenue Winnipeg Architecture Foundation
North Kildonan North East Historical Society
A Historical Look at River East Transcona School Division
I graduated from grade 12 in 1964. When I started grade 9 at River East Collegiate we had staggered hours. My experience does not seem to fit into your time table.
ReplyDeleteGraduated in 76' many of my friends were the 75' Grads ❤ Good Times! Mrs, Popeski Art Classes (my fav) were the best. Moved to the West Coast in 1979, all my Family are there...miss them and Winnipeg!
ReplyDeleteI graduated in 1971, good classmates and memories.
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