It’s been a decade since classes were first offered at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus. It was October 29, 2012 when students walked into the building for the first time. They had been anticipating the move since classes started after Labour Day, but when the building opening was delayed by a few weeks, it built up their anticipation even more to attend the brand new campus that had been in the works for several years.
When students arrived for classes, they were awestruck. Not all of the building was operational, it would take a few more weeks for the gymnasium to be ready, but it was clear that this was a world class post-secondary building, a significant improvement from where they had come.
The original Algonquin College Pembroke Campus had been a dairy that was added onto when the college was founded in the late 1960’s. Located on Pembroke Street East, beside the historic courthouse, the building was landlocked and lacked many of the modern facilities students expected from a college.
In 2006, the College released an economic impact study that confirmed the campus was generating millions of dollars in economic stimulus for Renfrew County through its students, its employees and its operations. That was the start of the advocacy campaign that would result in the opening of the Waterfront Campus on the shores of the Ottawa River six years later.
Recently, the campus celebrated its tenth anniversary by taking a walk down memory lane. Many of the major donors who participated in the community fundraising campaign were there and so were elected officials, alumni, employees and retirees of the college. They were treated to a special musical pop up concert by Business alumnus and Canadian Country Recording artist, Jason Blaine, who also gave a cheque for $15,000 to Algonquin College President, Claude Brulé, the final installment in his $100,000 commitment to establish an endowment for students in financial need.
The most poignant message of the celebration came from long-time community volunteer, Fred Blackstein, who was on the College Board of Governors when the project was approved. It was Blackstein who moved the motion in 2008 that cleared the way for the college to capitalize on a donation of 17 acres of waterfront land made available by the city of Pembroke, to build what has become a centre-point for the downtown and a source of pride for all of Renfrew County.
In his speech, Blackstein captured several moments in the past decade when the college has made significant contributions to the community, noting the clean-up done by students and employees during two floods along the waterfront, the campus hosting Governor General David Johnston for National Volunteer Week in 2013 and the volunteer work done by Office Administration-Executive students in helping establish the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre.
A month after the campus opened in October of 2012, a grand opening was held. As Blackstein smashed a champagne bottle against the exterior of the new building, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski, called the opening of the campus a “game changer” for the region. Yakabuski was right. In the past decade, the campus has delivered on the promise that was made to the community.
There is more access for local and out-of-town students to post-secondary education as more programs have been added. Increased enrolments have resulted in five privately owned and operated student residences being built to house almost 200 students. The city’s downtown has been revitalized through investments made by developers and the campus has become a hub in the city’s inner core.
Ten years have gone quickly, but celebrating this milestone is a reminder of how proud the community is to have the Waterfront Campus in its midst. It was Blackstein who coined the phrase, “Be Algonquin Proud, Make Algonquin Proud,” when he delivered those words at a convocation ceremony shortly after the campus opened. They continue to ring true for every student, employee and graduate who either studied or worked at the campus. It’s a special place.
(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs)
