ONE LAST HURRAH
George D. Lewis School reunion committee hoping for some final access into school
George D. Lewis School reunion committee hoping for some final access into school.
Two years ago when a committee formed to work on the 50th reunion of the George D. Lewis School for 2017 there was one thing they hadn’t anticipated – the closing of the school.
“We had no idea that would ever happen,” said Lloydette MacDonald, chair of the reunion committee.
“We were put in a position where a decision was made to go ahead with the reunion as hard as that would be under the circumstances with after 50 years our school was to be closed. We’re not looking at the negative impact although we are moving ahead with a celebration of the school.”
The locks to the George D. Lewis School were changed on Grading Day and the school will be closed for good July 31.
MacDonald said it’s hoped now before the Cape Breton Regional Municipality takes over the building they can at least hold the part of the 50th reunion itinerary previously planned to be held in the school. The reunion is being held Aug. 10-13.
Events scheduled to take place at the school including registration, a teen dance and a tour.
“This is our school stroll so to speak,” she said.
“It would be nice to have this chance to see it one last time as a school before it gets transferred over to the CBRM.”
The committee spoke to administration at the school board office and are working on the application process for usage of the building.
The school board has been accommodating with other requests, she said.
“I can’t see the school board rejecting our application - they seem to be very fair with that.”
The reunion includes a huge variety of events for all ages.
“We wanted to make sure the events captured all age groups within that 50 years and I think we did a great job of doing that,” MacDonald said.
“When we were planning this we were referring it to not only a reunion but a celebration of what the school has done for the community and with the community.”
Karen Skinner, a member of the George D. Lewis 50th reunion committee, said when the news came out the school would be closed it was devastating but
everyone is happy the reunion is still going ahead.
“That was all the more reason to do it actually.”
Skinner said the purpose of the reunion was not only to bring everyone together but also to raise funds to put back into the school.
“The proceeds were going to go back into the school but now they will go back into the community.” Skinner said there are about 200 registered.
“We have a lot of people who haven’t registered but are going to show
up. The reunion is opened to anyone who wants to come out and help us celebrate our 50 years.” The reunion includes live bands on the boardwalk and a pub crawl with a 70s, 80s, 90s theme and a country theme and venues will be decked out in those themes.
There are also tarabish and crib games and entertainment scheduled the same night for anyone not wanting to do the pub crawl. Skinner said there are events for kids as well.
Darren Googoo, chair of the CBVRSB, said when the school is closed it will be turned over to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
“My understanding is that won’t occur until Sept. 22 or so.”
Googoo said as it currently stands the school board still has control of the building. It has received various requests for usage and has been granting it whenever possible.
He said he does know the school board is in process of decommissioning the building
“That presents some challenges however we’ll try to be as accommodating as we can with requests for usage.”
Requests aren’t always possible during the decommissioning process since certain spaces in the school are being used for storage and other reasons, he added.
“Personally I don’t know what’s being used or how it’s being used in the school right now.”
Googoo says any requests for school usage will go through the normal school board process covering requests for public use of school space.