Wednesday, November 27, 2019 Vol. 42, No. 48
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Grand Opening of New Irma School
Everyone is all smiles as Buffalo Trail School Board Chair Lanie Parr (centre) cuts the ribbon to officially open the brand new Irma School during ceremonies held Friday, Nov. 22. Immediately to the left of Parr (and slightly behind) is Bob Barss (Reeve, M.D. of Wainwright), trustee Sheldon Archibald (with microphone), and Superintendent Bob Allen (behind teacher alumnus Darlene Lovig). To the right of Parr are Doug Coubrough (former Mayor and current Irma Councillor), local MLA Garth Rowswell, and Principal Darren Grosky, with all the other officials surrounding them. Masters of Ceremony Sinead Ford (far left) and Paige Pauls (far right) hold the ribbon as Parr does the honours. Patricia Harcourt Editor
The grand opening of the new Irma School was a chance to showcase a building that will serve as both an educational and community centre in a unique partnership. The gymnasium was full to capacity to hear officials on the new performing arts stage praise the foresight of those involved in making the combined school and community centre a reality. The Irma Band played under the direction of director Jennie Thompson for the first time at the opening, held Friday, Nov. 22. A video was shown featuring a fast forwarded version of Chandos Construction's building of the school, which took slightly over a year and a half to build in real time but was encapsulated in just six minutes and 20 seconds. Another video showed the fun of students moving into the new
school a couple of weeks prior to the opening ceremonies, which were concluded with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Students Sinead Ford and Paige Pauls were Masters of Ceremony for the occasion. Prior to the program, a luncheon was served in the building's spacious foyer and tours were offered to the visitors. Local officials included former Irma mayor and current councillor Doug Coubrough, who remembered how the dual purpose school building came into being. Irma Council passed a motion in 2013, he said, "to pursue the possibility of building a community hall." But they soon realized that ongoing maintenance costs would prove too prohibitive. When it was discovered that Buffalo Trail School Division was considering building a new school, "that's when it began," said Coubrough, of the current project that envisioned community functions held
in the school instead of in a separate building. "Irma has a good reputation for working collaboratively," he said. Brent Fischer took charge of the Irma and District School Enhancement Society, which would fundraise for the community side of the equation. Fischer called this a unique project, and a new facility that takes students from Kindergarten straight through to Grade 12. The school will also serve as a community hall, library, and kitchen "that will serve the community for decades." He noted that the society "worked four years to make it a reality," including volunteers for committees such as the Joint Use Operations Committee, Fundraising Committee and Political Advocacy Committee, among others. Fischer and Chad Lawson thanked all of the people who See IRMA SCHOOL P10
Brent Fischer, Irma and District School Enhancement Society, speaks of the work the society did over four years raising funds to augment the school's facilities, particularly expanding the auditorium, kitchen and library.