World class education
Top international private boarding school franchise coming to Annapolis County
Gordonstoun, the world’s top private boarding school has granted its first ever franchise and the new $62-million school and dormitories will be built somewhere between Bridgetown and Annapolis Royal.
Annapolis County Warden Timothy Habinski announced the Gordonstoun Nova Scotia project at a packed public meeting at the high school in Bridgetown Dec. 8.
The franchise from the legendary Gordonstoun Schools Limited in Northern Scotland goes to E. A. Farren Limited with most of the investment in the project coming from overseas.
The potential economic impact wasn’t lost on the crowd and the buzz after the meeting was about future vitality and growth.
Edward Farren, who was at the meeting attended by hundreds of county residents, said the project seeks a $7.2-million loan guarantee from the province in order to leverage funding. In return, the province would receive an annual dividend equal to about $18,000. The province would never have to write a cheque, he said. He said there was potential annual revenue of about $600,000 for the county as well.
Premier Stephen McNeil later said in an interview the province can’t provide a loan guarantee, but said he is looking at a legislative change that would allow municipalities to borrow money if they are financially stable.
“We don’t do provincial guarantees on loans associated with this,” he said.
He said the province is looking at modernizing the Municipal Government Act to allow all municipalities that are financially healthy to be able to borrow money on projects like Gordonstoun if they believe it’s in the public interest of the people they represent.
“The Municipal Finance Corporation would be the lender, which is how we finance all municipalities. If they have the capacity to carry that, and some do and some don’t, the ones that do would have the flexibility.”
As for Gordonstoun Nova Scotia, he’s all for it.
“This project’s been brought to me now for a while. I’ve talked to Ed, I was over to see the project, part of the tour when I was in Scotland. I spoke with Ed a few times since then,” he said. “I think this is a real economic opportunity for this region. These are international students who are coming here and Gordonstoun has a track record of success and I’m looking forward to seeing this project continue along its path.”
PURSUE PROJECTS
“It isn’t enough for municipal governments to sit back and wait for good things to arrive,” Habinski added. “We have to go out into the world, find the best possible practices, make the best possible relationships, and actively bring the best possible projects home if we want to see our community spiral up in the midst of the many challenges we face.”
Council had been working with Farren for more than two years as the New Brunswick businessman sought a location in Annapolis County for an International Baccalaureate-granting private school.
Gordonstoun, the school founded by Dr. Kurt Hahn, and the school Prince Philip went to, unexpectedly offered a franchise to Farren based partly on his vision and partly on Habinski’s pitch for Annapolis County.
McNeil was invited to a second meeting at Gordonstoun in Elgin, Moreyshire, Scotland with Habinski and municipal Coun. Alex Morrison.
“His reaction to Gordonstoun was just like ours: he was deeply impressed,” said Habinski.
The first class enrolled in the not-for-profit school is expected to crack the books in September of 2020 with Grade 9 students and possibly some Grade 10 students. The project will be phased in until full enrollment of 600 students in Grades 9 to 12 is realized in 2023 and the first graduation is held.
The campus will consist of an administration building, library, learning centre, sports centre, refectory, chapel/ auditorium, art/music/drama facilities, space for sciences, languages, English, math, and residences. The Gordonstoun Nova Scotia school will be of net-zero construction leaving virtually no environmental footprint and relying very little on municipal utilities with the exception of the county’s new fibre optic backbone.
Habinski said the estimated $10 million in teacher salaries will have an economic multiplier impact of $24 million on the local economy each year. Operational and service staff wages will amount to more than $6.5 million annually with an overall local economic impact of more than $14 million.
“I think this is a great bit of news for the county. This is a long-term venture and I think it’s going to create so many spinoffs that we can’t even imagine them yet,” said Paradise resident David Hankinson.
“I think it’s an extraordinary opportunity for Annapolis County, the residents, the businesses,” said county resident Heather LeBlanc.
Local businesswoman Jennifer D’Aubin of Bridgetown businesses D’Aubin Family Meats and food and entertainment venue Temple on Queen, added, “honestly, I am a little bit stunned,” she said.
“This is huge and it’s exciting, and it’s a little overwhelming but in a good way. This is phenomenal. This is going to have every bit of the economic impact they said it would and then some.”
Heather McCormack, a former educator and high school principal in Annapolis County, said she was thrilled to see a program like Gordonstoun coming in to Annapolis County.
“It will certainly dovetail beautifully with the high school programs going on in our area … and we are truly thankful that this type of opportunity will be in our back door. How lucky are we?”