College Boreal groundbreaking event

Construction has already begun, but the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new $15 million dollar campus of Collège Boréal in Timmins was held Thursday morning on Theriault Boulevard on a plot of land in front of Ecole catholique Secondaire Theriault.
One of the highlights of the event was an announcement by Xstrata Nickel of a pledge of $225,000 to kickoff the $1 million fundraising campaign to purchase new equipment. The announcement was made by Kristan Straub of Xstrata’s Montcalm Mine in Timmins. “This project is the result of multiple partnerships,” said Collège Boréal president Denis Hubert who praised all levels of government, local boards of education and the business community for helping to bring the project to reality.
Hubert said he was pleased to see that the project also had a significant involvement from the business and construction sectors in Timmins.
“Our objection is to make sure that most of the $15 million that will be invested goes back into the community and stays in the community,” said Hubert.
The project was also praised by Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren for creating a new opportunity for young people.
“The dealings we have had with Collège Boréal to this point have been fantastic,” said Laughren who commented he was pleased to see the project going ahead from the perspective that it would provide many skilled tradespeople in the region to contribute to the city’s further economic development.
The new campus is expected to be open in the fall of 2009 to accommodate up to 400 students in 15 programs.