Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) has announced a new $1.2 million outdoor education and Indigenous centre will be built in Minden, with an opening planned for spring 2027.
Director of Education Wes Hahn said the 3,000 sq. ft. facility will be constructed on a 90-acre parcel the school board owns connecting to Archie Stouffer Elementary School (ASES). The build has been approved by the Ministry of Education, though Hahn confirmed TLDSB is footing the bill.
“We’ve got a capital reserve close to $1.2 million and that’s what we’ve budgeted to build this facility,” Hahn said. “We’ve managed our money really well recently and are in a great financial position to do this… this money is not coming from the classroom side, we couldn’t tap into this to buy more textbooks, it’s strictly to build new things or put additions onto existing buildings.”
Hahn said Minden was the “perfect” spotgiven its central location in the district, the availability and suitability of the land, and prominence of several outdoor-type educational programs and businesses in the County.
School board to open facility for spring 2027
Plans for the facility have been in place for about a year, though Hahn said its origins date back to 2020 when he joined TLDSB. “This project has been driven by our [board of] trustees. They have wanted to build an outdoor education centre for some time,” Hahn said.
TLDSB is proposing a 2,000 sq. ft. main structure with a wraparound porch and deck, to be used for large gatherings, presentations and Indigenous circles. There will be a kitchenette, washroom facilities and other educational spaces for instruction.
Outside, Hahn said there will be a fire pit with a gazebo, several kilometres of trails and space for overnight camping. He confirmed the facility would operate as a day program, with teachers board-wide able to book excursions for students from kindergarten to Grade 12. He said this is considered an enhancement to TLDSB and will not replace existing outdoors programming, such as the annual Grade 6 overnight trip to Camp Muskoka.
Hahn estimates the building will create six-to-10 jobs in the community, from custodians, to consultants, outdoor educators and program developers. Hahn said the board already has leads on instructional hires, with programming centering on leadership and team building, environmental learning, physical education, and unique regional activities, such as collecting maple sap, studying animal tracks and exploring the Canadian Shield.
“This is going to be a great way for our students to learn – we’ve seen firsthand how some kids who don’t necessarily gravitate
to everything we do in a classroom light up and come to life when they’re outside,” Hahn said.
Indigenous component ‘key’ to project
Hahn noted TLDSB will work with Indigenous partners in the region to develop programming rooted in respect for the land and its history.
Larry O’Connor, an Odawa Anishinaabe knowledge holder and member of the Sheshegwaning First Nation, said he’s been a part of conversations on this facility for several months and think it’s an “exciting project” for the community.
“This is something we’ve been pushing for in schools for some time. We preach that the best classroom is on the land as far
as Indigenous teachings go… we will now have a dedicated space for the students to learn from,” O’Connor said.
This week, he held several virtual classes with TLDSB students about beading, though said, “it’s so much better if you can do this in-person. I can see leading classes about Indigenous medicines, going for a walk on the trails and showing students what these things are and how they help.”
He encouraged TLDSB to meet with Indigenous elders from nearby First Nations for a broader discussion on programming.
Locals excited
Minden parent Robin Dillane, who has a son in Grade 7 at ASES, believes this new facility will open doors for many people in the community, not just students.
“The most exciting thing about this for me is the investment in the community. For a facility of this size, this will bring much-needed good, stable jobs to the area,” Dillane said. “I’m exciting to hear they’re planning to open in spring 2027 – my son will still be at ASES so can get in on the ground floor and experience all the positives this will bring.”
Mayor Bob Carter echoed those words, saying this was an exciting announcement. “This is something that will help put Minden on the map,” Carter said. With the school board aiming for a quick turnaround, wanting to welcome students at the site within 14 months, Carter said that “doesn’t leave much time” for getting permits approved. Hahn said TLDSB is hoping to break ground this spring and have exterior construction wrapped by November, leaving interior work to be done through winter.
“We’re excited about the project and excited to work with the school board, but we need conversations… on site plan, water and sewer connections… to start as soon as possible,” Carter said.
