Kenora school will serve as new regional hub for education

A First Nations education institute has purchased a school in Kenora to serve as an exciting new hub for education in the region.
Keewatin-Patricia District School Board (KPDSB) signed over Lakewood School in Kenora to Seven Generations Education Institute (SGEI) on June 26.
“We signed the transfer agreement, and we just had a ceremony to celebrate,” said Wayne Zimmer, director of apprenticeship programs at SGEI.
The event included a traditional ceremony, public speakers, a flag raising and the signing of official documents to commemorate the event.
SGEI bought Lakewood School late last year in December.
According to a SGEI press release, a “major reconstruction is planned to convert the school to offices and multi-purpose spaces for leasing to other organizations.”
The school itself will serve as a hub for many different post-secondary institutions as well as a place for adults to complete their high school education.
“We have Canadore, Cambrian, Sault, Wilfred Laurier, Lakehead, Queen’s; so they’re our education partners in the facility,” said Zimmer. “We have a partnership with KPDSB to deliver adult education throughout the region and Kenora is one of the locations.”
According to SGEI, the institution will occupy 30 percent of the space in Lakewood school. As well, there will be extensive reconstruction on the building to convert rooms into offices and multi-purpose spaces for leasing to other organizations.
SGEI started 28 years ago as Rainy Lake Ojibway Education Authority, and is governed by 10 First Nations in the Rainy River region. Over the years, this has grown to include offices in Thunder Bay, with campuses in Kenora and Fort Frances. SGEI also serves 14 First Nations with adult education in their own communities, and has over 1,000 students in their adult education program.