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Post-Secondary Education Research
To Follow Council Presentation
Collingwood Economic Development Officer Catherine Durrant Presented Winning Partnership Examples To Council
Collingwood council has agreed to create an educational subcommittee to look into the possibility of attracting a post-secondary institution. On Monday night (April 1, 2009) Economic Development Officer Catherine Durrant provided council with a detailed presentation that included how some communities have moved forward to achieve the goal of attracting post-secondary education opportunities for local residents
For example, Durrant pointed out to council that the expansion of the Muskoka Campuses of Nipissing University and Georgian College have resulted in a positive academic and cultural outlook for Bracebridge with many economic spinoffs. Durrant told council that Georgian College began operating in Bracebridge in 1977 in a leased, 8,000 square foot facility that could accommodate 125 students. In 2007, a new 16,000 square foot campus opened with a building and land donated by the Town of Bracebridge for one dollar. Fair market value was estimated to be $570,000. In addition, a MTCU grant for $667,000 combined with $1.93 million in local fund raising allowed for the construction of the new campus that has a capacity of 212 full time students
In addition, in September 2008, a 26,000 sq. ft Nipissing University campus which can accommodate 675 students opened in Bracebridge Durrant pointed out that no provincial government monies were available, stating that the $6.6 million facility was entirely self funded The Town of Bracebridge donated 7 acres of land valued at $671,000.
Downtown Revitilization and Post Secondary Facilities For Brantford
A dead and decaying downtown core (pictured above) has been revitilized to accommodate the arrival of post-secondary education facilities (pictured below) in Brantford.
In January 2008, Lakehead University and the City of Orillia confirmed an agreement in principle to develop a satellite campus of the University in Orillia. The initial collaboration would offer academic courses and programs in partnership with Georgian College.
Durrant told council that in most cases, attracting post-secondary institutions means a community needs to make a major financial investment, along with providing land and/or buildings to be developed.
Durrant added examples from Cambridge, Stratford, Milton, Orillia, Orangeville and Owen Sound of how a community to work in partnership to attract post-secondary education opportunities for its residents.
In Collingwood, Georgian College continues to offer classes from leased space in the downtown business district. A Georgian College Campus has existed in Collingwood for 25 years in leased or rented facilities, and is currently operating from numerous temporary locations in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach. Collingwood is the only community that Georgian College does not have a permanent facility.
Over the past 5 years, Georgian College, Collingwood campus have served over 5,000 students in a combination of job-ready programs, academic upgrading and life long learning.