The New Nelson Mandela Park Public School & Opening Celebration

On the 19th of March 2013, after over two years of renovation, Toronto’s oldest school, Nelson Mandela Public Park School, reopened its doors to Regent Park students. Though the renovation was not without its own frustrations and controversy, the community is thrilled to have the new and improved school up and running again.  The school will be holding a celebration of its reopening on June 10^th from 1-3p.m. for the community at large.

For more photos of the school, visit www.rpni.ca/media.html

In the true spirit of Regent Park community and activism, the rebuild of the school was done in consultation with the community to meet the needs and concerns of the neighbourhood. Thus the school reflects the revitalized tone of the community: not a complete rebuild, but a promotion and rejuvenation of the already vibrant assets of the community.

Recently, I was lucky enough to participate in a community tour of the school, led by two lovely eighth grade students, Saudia and Emily, and got to see all the bright, new changes. The building is impressive, with nearly seamless blending of old and new architecture (though some of the original flooring appears discoloured and somewhat out of place in the modern looking school). There are several new additions to the building, including a new library, amphitheatre, ramp and elevator to make the space accessible, as well as some reconstructed familiar spaces.

The basement, once dank and dreary, was redone to allow for more space and light. Though the renovation was thorough, many aspects of the old school were kept and, where needed, cleaned and restored – including expanded windows to allow for more light. The building looks and feels like a bright and welcoming place for students, and indeed students, parents, and teachers alike are happy with the change (so we’ve heard).

Already, according to Vice Principal Jason Kandankery, Nelson Mandela Park graduates are returning to see the new building, impressed with the changes and wondering how their commitment to their education might have changed had they enjoyed such a welcoming space.

Not only are the building renovations impressive, but also the school was equipped with new furniture and technology. The most impressive change might well be the addition of projectors and microphones with surround-sound speakers in each classroom: supports proven to increase learning retention.

The school has a year’s grace period to report problems to the builders to be fixed. Still, construction is not complete; the new Regent Park Community Centre is to be built to wrap around the school, facilitating the creation of a community hub, heavily advocated for by the residents.

Of course the space is just the opportunity, and what we make of that opportunity determines its success. We are eagerly looking forward to seeing what incredible developments come from investing in the younger generations.

For photos of a few of the changes, visit our facebook page and check out the Nelson Mandela Park Public School photo album (www.facebook.com/RegentParkNeighbourhoodInitiative). Also be sure to come out for the celebration of the reopening on June 10th!