Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

By Tanner Smith

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

St. Patrick’s officially opens

Oct 24, 2023 | 6:00 AM

The new St. Patrick school in Grande Prairie hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and blessing Monday. The replacement for the old St. Patrick school opened in September.

Originally built in 1978, the old school had to close its doors in 2017 due to mold issues after a plan to modernize the old facility was rejected by the province; It was then demolished in 2020, with a plan of rebuilding on the old site set in motion.

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

Multiple provincial and local dignitaries attended the ceremony, including Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, local MLA Nolan Dyck, Premier Danielle Smith sent her regards in a letter, all of city council, and Mayor Jackie Clayton.

After the ceremony, Clayton discussed how happy she is to see a school with so much history make its return.

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“Days like today are feel-good moments, where you get to be part of your community. Obviously, this institution has a history in our community, and to see it re-opened as St. Patrick’s in the same footprint, in the same community, one of the original communities of our city, was really just a great feeling.”

Clayton added; “It was a great opportunity, to have Minister Nicolaides up here to officially re-open, and be part of the blessing ceremony. We are very thankful to the Province of Alberta for supporting education in our region.”

Clayton says she and council also have so much respect for the work done by Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools, and Superintendent Dr. Jessie Shirley, “who kept this project at the forefront of the province’s minds”.

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

Nicolaides also opened up about his vision for education in the northwest, which he hopes is something that will only continue to grow.

“I think that this new school opening really demonstrates that the government is listening and understands the importance of northwestern Alberta, understands the importance of Grand Prairie and the community. But more importantly, is committed to investing in the infrastructure that the community needs, including incredible new modernized schools like this one.”

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

Nicolaides will also be visiting St. Joseph’s Catholic High School during his stay, with the goal of further understanding the needs of northwestern Alberta, when it comes to education.

“Really happy to be in Grande Prairie for two days, and really enjoying sitting down with school divisions, community organizations, and others, to make sure I have a well-informed perspective on what the community needs,” Nicolaides said.

With this visit, Nicolaides also marked the first school he has opened, as Alberta’s Minister of Education.

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

This fall, the school is now home to a number of students from the Highland Park, Swanavon, Southview, Country Club West, Country Club Estates, Patterson, and South Patterson areas.

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP