Two new schools in the forest

© Courtoisie

Between now and September 2023, a new educational institution will appear in the Mont-Tremblant landscape. Collège Laurentien of Val-Morin will move into a building to be constructed on a 90-acre piece of land beside the Domaine Saint-Bernard. The project, supported by citizens of Mont-Tremblant, is piloted by Collège Letendre of Laval. This latter will assume responsibility for the operations of the new campus, which will include two private schools.

The first phase of the project will be construction of the school for local clients at a cost of $30 million. Collège Laurentien expects thus to move from 350 to 500 students. But if the tight schedule is not met, the first student intake will be delayed until 2024. The project’s second phase, at $25 million, includes construction of accommodation and residences for about 200 international students. Collège international de Mont- Tremblant is scheduled for 2025 to 2026.

Mr. Yves Legault, chair of Collège Laurentien’s board of directors, says that, “a school in the forest in the mountains, with dozens of kilometres of outdoor trails…. There’s nothing like it in Québec.” A zoning modification was required to permit construction of this kind of “institution” outside the urban perimeter.

An academic program with an outdoor focus

Plans call for big windows so that each class has a view of surrounding summits. The program, offered in French, is recognized by the Québec Ministry of Education and is composed of the primary school second cycle, and secondary school. Increased emphasis will be given to physical education courses. It’s probable that with one such course a day, outings can be planned for alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, cycling, watersports and more. Fees are expected to be about $5000 per student per year. Buses will take care of daily transportation.

Certain citizens of Mont-Tremblant are supporting this initiative and the school’s current board of directors includes such sports personalities as Erik Guay (skiing) and Patrice Brisebois (hockey). There is unanimous enthusiasm for imagining our young people developing in such an environment.

 

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Daniel Gauvreau

 

Daniel Gauvreau80 Posts

Récréologue et journaliste de formation, tour à tour organisateur, formateur, consultant, chroniqueur et traducteur dans le milieu du plein air, Daniel Gauvreau est passionné d’activité physique en extérieur. De retour d’un périple au Québec et en France, il a choisi les Hautes-Laurentides pour satisfaire son amour de la nature. Semi-retraité, moniteur de ski de fond à SFMT, son expérience profite désormais aux lecteurs de Tremblant Express. Recreation professional and journalist by education, organizer, trainer, consultant, columnist and translator about the outdoors by experience, Daniel Gavreau is passionate about physical activity outside. Following a trip through Québec and France, he chose the Hautes-Laurentides as the place to satisfy his love of nature. Semi-retired and teaching cross-country skiing with SFMT, he now offers his experience to Tremblant Express readers.

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