Young Quebecers will be able to get more out of their schoolyards thanks to a $3.2 million investment

Mélissa Gélinas

On December 2, 2024, the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, announced an investment of over $3.2 million to improve school grounds in a number of Quebec schools.

From the Côte-Nord region to the Outaouais region, primary and secondary schools will benefit from the addition of playgrounds, play modules, pathways, outdoor classrooms and much more, with budgets ranging from $10,459 to over $100,000.

In the Outaouais region, 35 schools, including elementary and high schools, from Gatineau, Chapleau, Papineau, Pontiac and Hull, will also have their school grounds revitalized. At école secondaire du Versant, for example, an outdoor classroom will be built and trees planted, for a budget of $89,944. At Pontiac's Arc-en-Ciel elementary school, an outdoor classroom will also be built, as well as a psychomotor course, to develop students' physical and motor skills, for a total budget of $100,000.

The aim of these projects is to offer young people a variety of activities to promote a healthy, active lifestyle all year round.

“Like everyone else, I have unforgettable memories of playing in the schoolyard, but also, and above all, of the friendships that were born there,” says Mathieu Lacombe, Member of Parliament for Papineau and Minister responsible for the Outaouais region. “I'm delighted to know that students from La Traversée (Sainte-Maria Goretti building), Saint-Coeur-de-Marie, J.M. Robert, Sainte-Famille / aux Trois-Chemins, Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf, du Ruisseau, Saint-Michel (Gatineau) and du Boisé schools in Papineau will have the chance to take part in a modern socializing space that I'm convinced will be lively and well-designed,” he adds. “On behalf of the children, I would like to thank all the partners who took part in the preliminary phases of these projects. 

(Trans.: WP)