Walk down memory lane at Espanola High School’s 75th Reunion

It wasn’t long on Friday, July 3 when countless alumni from all generations flooded the halls of the Espanola Recreation Complex. The event that evening, a wine and cheese, signalled the start of the Espanola High School 75th Reunion, which took place over the weekend. Though the faces may have changed a little throughout the [...]

Article content It wasn’t long on Friday, July 3 when countless alumni from all generations flooded the halls of the Espanola Recreation Complex. The event that evening, a wine and cheese, signalled the start of the Espanola High School 75th Reunion, which took place over the weekend. Though the faces may have changed a little throughout the years, generations of Spartans quickly found themselves connecting with former teachers and old school companions.

Recommended Videos The event was also a boost to local business, as hundreds of alumni took the time to eat, shop and support locals. For some, this was their first return to their hometown in decades. In total, some 300 current and former students and staff attended the weekend’s celebrations.

The event, held roughly every 10 years, commemorates the countless individuals who have attended Espanola High School since its inaugural classes in 1951. The event is put on by a 14-person committee, chaired by former students Richard Foucault and Bernie Houle. The weekend’s festivities took place at the Recreation Complex and several areas in the community.

Following Friday’s wine and cheese, Saturday saw breakfast, speeches from former teachers and distinguished guests, including current mayor and alumni Doug Gervais, and a cake-cutting ceremony. What followed was a tour of the school next door, inviting former students to grace the halls of their alma mater and relive some of that high-school nostalgia. The festivities also spread beyond the complex and the school, with attendees invited to enjoy a complementary barbeque, sponsored by the Espanola Lions Club, a Knights Cruisers display, a Thursday evening concert put on by renowned pianist Brad Parker, activities and food at the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre on Anderson Lake, and a meat roll-off at the Espanola Legion, just to name a few.

In his remarks, committee co-chair Richard Foucault mentioned the importance of the reunion and the desire for future generations to take up the mantle, speaking to current members of Espanola High School’s student parliament. “There will be a day where we will be gone, and it will be up to you to carry the torch and continue this event for future alumni,” Foucault said. Mayor Gervais spoke of the fond memories he shared at the school, including how he met his wife, Kathy.

The pair have been married for 52 years. As alumni departed at the end of a nostalgic weekend, the event brought together successive generations of Spartans who for 75 years remain proud of their alma mater.