Fading Recollections of a Previous French-Speaking School in Ottawa
Abandoned French-Language School Faces Oblivion in Ottawa
Walks down Loretta Avenue in Ottawa's West Side
Remnants of St. Gerard School, a once bustling French-language institution, lie neglected. Half-derelict walls stand silently, offering minimal explains about their rich history, to the dismay of history enthusiasts.
The air is thick with the silence that comes with the erasure of a community. With scarcely a whisper of French to be heard on this side of town, the ornate half-walls at the end of Loretta Avenue are forgotten relics, lost in a sea of English speakers.
Pierre Allard, a former Le Droit editorialist, pens a heartfelt plea in his blog, lamenting the fading memories of Ottawa's French-speaking community. "Little by little, the remnants of our French heritage are slipping away," he notes.
Standing tall, yet bereft of any sign or plaque, the once proud school fails to tell its story. "If we don't make an effort to preserve our past, we'll fade into obscurity," warns Allard. Soon, the living memories of Ottawa's French-speaking neighborhood will be overshadowed by the annals of time, and any significant documentation will be scarce.
Anne Gilbert, an emeritus geographer at the University of Ottawa and director of the Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française, echoes Allard's concerns. "The attention of historians and researchers is primarily focused on the eastern part of downtown," she states. As a result, the St. Gerard School neighborhood and its French heritage are often overlooked.
Gilbert recounts that the neighborhood's fate was sealed with the construction of Highway 417, which divided LeBreton Flats and led to the exodus of French-speaking residents. Although St. Gerard School's exact location remains undocumented in Gilbert's virtual museum, Vie française dans la capitale, she sheds light on the school's ties to the religious congregation of the Sisters of Sainte-Marie of Namur, a group of Belgian nuns who ran the school.
Despite the school's absence from the municipal heritage register, Lesley Collins, the head of Ottawa's heritage planning program, encourages citizens to take action. "If you have a passion for preserving history, consider advocating for designation of this historic site," she suggests.
This report is part of the The Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.
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The local government could consider designating the neglected St. Gerard School as a historical site, preserving a significant piece of Ottawa's French heritage for future generations. By preserving the school, homeowners may find inspiration in rejuvenating other aspects of their lifestyle, such as home-and-garden projects, to embrace the rich cultural history in their community.
