EDUCATION. The Collège Saint-Bernard (CSB) inaugurated the Dionne Family Grand Hall on Friday, a multifunctional hall that can be used as a gym, show room and reception. Primary and secondary school students as well as community members will benefit.
“In March 2020, the Dionne family came to visit the college for another project. When they saw the gym, they saw that it lacked love. We were still on the original 1962 materials. It was more than outdated. They decided to undertake the Grand Hall project, “says CSB director Dominic Guévin.
Thus an important project was born. As project manager, Dominic Guévin was involved in the various stages. He had a clear vision for the Great Hall. “I wanted us to go from the ugliest gym in Drummondville to an architectural gem. I wanted the students to feel like they were playing football at the Maison symphonique ”, he explains, all smiles.
Among other things, he wanted the room to be Scandinavian-inspired, with a clean aesthetic with light colors. Dominic Guévin wanted a bright space, which is why the skylights were restored, allowing the sun’s rays to illuminate the place.
Furthermore, Dominic Guévin wanted to re-evaluate the scene that had been neglected in recent years. “We didn’t use it anymore because it looked like a cave. We worked with acousticians to insulate the walls, ”he points out.
All CSB students will be able to use this space, both primary and secondary school students. The Great Hall will be available for rent to people in the community. Dominic Guévin specifies that the room has a capacity of 585 people. “There is no such place in Drummondville,” he says.
The residents have not been forgotten. Two student lounges have been set up near the Grand Hall. There are seats in each of them, as well as a television. “Young people can come here in the evening to relax. We wanted it to look like a coffee, “says Dominic Guévin.
To complete the project, four classrooms were added to cope with the increase in clientele. There are also 20 collaborative offices, two conference rooms and mixed toilets.
Several other partners have joined the initiative, such as Construction Bertrand Dionne, Flordeco, SD Énergie, Structure BRL, Girardin, EGR insurance strategists, Caouette and Rochon veterinary hospital, Courchesne et Fils, Constructions Cadran et Morrissette, Transport Dessault and TD Bank. . The project cost $ 2 million.
For the future, CSB continues to dream big, says Dominic Guévin. In 2023, the private school intends to improve the internal courtyard, as well as the training room.
