The site of the former Rivier Academy is being considered for a planned Francophone school in P.A. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Prince Albert French Canadian Society

City considers Rivier Academy site for Francophone school

Feb 14, 2020 | 5:39 PM

Prince Albert’s French speaking community may soon have a new school.

Members of the P.A. French Canadian Society said they are continuing to work on finding a replacement for their current school building.

Mayor Greg Dionne said P.A. recently became a member of the Francophone and Francophile Cities of America Network. This organization is made up of cities that share a common goal to preserve French language and culture. P.A. is the first city in Saskatchewan to be granted membership, according to Dionne.

“These benefits to the city will come in many ways, including access to funding for projects,” he said.

Dionne’s sentiments were echoed by Estelle Hjertaas, a board member and the spokesperson for the local French-Canadian Society. Hjertaas said the city being part of the network provides some opportunities to promote sites in the surrounding area like Batoche and to work with others.

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“We’re planning on working with the city and other partners, especially the Métis,” she said.

The proposed tourism corridor, which was also touched on by the mayor in his State of the City address, would stretch from Saskatoon up to P.A. and work to attract people whose primary language is French to come visit Saskatchewan.

Hjertaas added being part of this network with other French communities as well provides the chance to educate people about the language and specifically its presence in the province.

“People don’t think of Saskatchewan as a place for French and people don’t really realize communities here,” she said.

The issue of a new French school for the city and surrounding community is still on the agenda for the society. Dionne said the city is actively in talks with the provincial government to get a new building.

Hjertaas said the current facilities are having a negative effect on future enrolment at the school as the daycare has had to turn families away.

“The daycare of course feeds into future enrolment for the school, so that’s frustrating for us,” she said.

The local French Canadian Society is hopeful the old Rivier Academy building can be the new home for the school. Hjertaas said there is also hope the new facility can be even more than a school. She added the local society and its provincial counterparts are working on a business plan.

“There’s the school, but then there will be the second half of the building that will be more the offices of the association and other French services,” she said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn