Windsor Park Collegiate (WPC) is a public
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
in
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
, within the
Louis Riel School Division
The Louis Riel School Division (LRSD; , DSL-R) is a school division in Winnipeg, Manitoba, offering English language, English-language and French immersion, French-immersion education to its students.
It was broadly formed in 1998 with the volun ...
.
History
"In the year of nineteen hundred and sixty, in the community of Windsor Park, there opened a school that became a legend. Only one other school in North America had thi
unique hexagonal architecture The first principal of the school, Windsor Park Collegiate, was Mr. D. M. Slater, and the faculty population was 27. The first school President was R. D. McClelland. The school had a population of 619, ranging from Grade 8 to Grade 12. 93 of the students were graduating that year."
''Taken from the 1978 Yearbook''
Currently, Windsor Park Collegiate is a Grade 8-12 school. It harbors a staff force of 34 teachers and 40 support staff strive to maintain an environment that promotes student learning. The school offers an English Language Program.
Architecture
The building was designed by local Winnipeg firm 'Green Blankstein Russell', and construction began in 1959. The design is notable for its use of multiple two-storey hexagonal pods joined by hallways. The only other school know to feature the
unique hexagonal architecture is
Donald D. Lum Elementary School in Alameda, California, which opened in
1961
Events January
* January 3
** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015).
** Aero Flight 311 ...
. A larger
gym
A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...
, designed by firm 'Duncan Rattray Peters Searle' was later added in 1969.
Windsor Park Collegiate was built during the
cold war
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
, and rumors of a large
bomb shelter
A bomb shelter is a structure designed to provide protection against the effects of a bomb.
Types of shelter
Different kinds of bomb shelters are configured to protect against different kinds of attack and strengths of hostile explosives.
Air ...
in the foundation of the school have been propagated by students, staff and alumni for decades. Despite the school being constructed with a large, open area in its foundation, there is no evidence that it was ever designed as any sort of bomb shelter. This unused underground space is accessible though a crawlspace near the former
basement
A basement or cellar is one or more floors of a building that are completely or partly below the ground floor. It generally is used as a utility space for a building, where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, ...
cafeteria
A cafeteria, sometimes called a canteen outside the U.S., is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school ...
, and a door near the main gym changing rooms.
Special Needs Program
WPC has the largest secondary school
Special Needs
In clinical diagnostic and functional development, special needs (or additional needs) refers to individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. Guidelines for clinical diagnosis are given in ...
program in the
Louis Riel School Division
The Louis Riel School Division (LRSD; , DSL-R) is a school division in Winnipeg, Manitoba, offering English language, English-language and French immersion, French-immersion education to its students.
It was broadly formed in 1998 with the volun ...
. It is technically termed the Co-op Education Program and the Skills for Living Program. This program works with integration into standard classes, as well as work experience and life skills training.
Bistro in the Park
In 1999, the program opened up Crackers The Bistro, a full-service
restaurant
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
that was open to the public for lunch 5 days a week. Here they train and "employ" exclusively the students who are in the Occupational Skills Program within the Louis Riel School Division. It is located in a residential
strip mall
A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...
very close to WPC. The program was a great success in reaching its goals, but is still operated largely off
donations
A donation is a gift for charity, humanitarian aid, or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including money, alms, services, or goods such as clothing, toys, food, or vehicles. A donation may satisfy medical needs such as b ...
and
public funding
A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...
. In 1999 this program won the
Manitoba School Board Innovation Award. As of July 2006 the restaurant was renamed Bistro in the Park.
[http://www.lrsd.net/Administration/Boardroom/Minutes/Minutes06June2006.htm ]
50th Anniversary Celebration and Reunion
A 50th anniversary celebration and reunion was held on May 13–14, 2011. Many past students and staff attended the two-day celebration. A "Hall of Honour" was established and three people were inducted at the Gala Dinner. Butch Goring, Jennifer Jones and Evelyn Jacks.
Notable alumni
*
Cam Connor
Cameron Duncan Connor (born August 10, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward and a Stanley Cup winner.
Connor was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in October 2015.
Early life
Connor grew up best friends with ...
- professional
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
hockey player and
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
winner with the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
,
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
and
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
. Also appeared on
Wipeout Canada
''Wipeout Canada'' is a Canadian English reality television series in which multiple contestants compete in numerous obstacle-based challenges. The series is produced by DTour and premiered on that channel on April 3, 2011. The studio hosts are J ...
.
*
Robert "Butch" Goring - professional NHL hockey player, notable for winning 4 consecutive
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
with the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
.
*
Jennifer Jones
Jennifer Jones (born Phylis Lee Isley; March 2, 1919 – December 17, 2009), also known as Jennifer Jones Simon, was an American actress and mental health advocate. Over the course of her career that spanned over five decades, she was nominated ...
- Professional
Curler, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Gold Medallist
*
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper WWE Legend and Hall of famer
*
Mike Ridley
Michael Owen Guy Ridley (born July 8, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the NHL for 12 seasons from 1985 until 1997.
Ridley signed with the New York Rangers as an undrafted free agent in September 1985. Ridle ...
- professional NHL hockey player with New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks
*
Dave Richter - played 365 games as an NHL defenceman with Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, and St. Louis Blues.
References
External links
WPC School WebsiteWindsor Park Collegiate 50th Reunion{{LRSDschools
High schools in Winnipeg
Educational institutions established in 1960
1960 establishments in Manitoba