• 27th: Family Literacy Day

• 16th: Heritage Day

• Dougall Avenue School 100th Birthday
  • Fri. May 13 - 7:00-10:00pm - Evening reception by invitation only  for board employees, board members, former staff and dignitaries.
  • Sat. May 14- 11:00am-3:00pm - Open House at the school featuring decade rooms and a BBQ..
  • Sat. May 14-7:00-10:00pm - evening programme featuring past and present students.    Registration $20 in advance or $25 at the door. A souvenir booklet will be included with the registration fee.
  For more information, click here...

Happy 100th Birthday Dougall Avenue School

Dougall Avenue School is located at 811 Dougall Avenue in the heart of current downtown Windsor. Although several schools in early Windsor preceded it, it is the oldest one still in operation. The land was originally a nursery and a hop field owned by John Dougall. His father James Dougall named Windsor in 1836 and was mayor for two terms.The school board members of the time were strongly criticised by the ratepayers for building a school so far out of the city. At the time the street lamps were gas lamps which were lit by a lamplighter  each evening. The last light was midway between Wyandotte  and Elliott. The street was paved with cedar blocks and a dirt road began where the last light ended. The school classrooms had no lights until Hydro was brought to Windsor in 1910.

The cornerstone was laid in 1904 and the school opened in 1905 with D.M. Eagle as the first principal. The children were transferred from Pelissier Street School and the overflow was sent to Park Street School. Dougall Avenue School also became the new site for the Model School for Teacher Training  replacing Mercer Street School. A four month course granted teachers-in-training  a temporary Third-Class Certificate permitting them to teach for three years. 

At first Dougall Avenue School was a twelve room school built on two floors facing Dougall Avenue. By 1919 Windsor  had grown to such an extent that several classes operated in half day sessions. At lunch time the janitor would do a quick clean up and an afternoon sesssion would be held for four hours.That fall an eight room addition was started and was ready for occupancy in May of 1920. A gymnasium and auditorium were later added in about 1924.

Great care was given over the years to maintain and renovate the school but after much consideration the original building was torn down to make room for a modern facility that opened in the fall of 1992.

On May 14, 2005 Dougall Avenue School will be having an Open House from 11:00-3:00 and an evening programme from 6:00-10:00 to celebrate its 100th birthday. Please help us spread the word so that we contact as many former staff and students as possible. Personal stories or memorabelia that could be borrowed or copied would be appreciated for the school archives. 

Further information about the anniversary festivities can be found at the school website under www.gecdsb.on.ca or by calling Sheila at 519-250-9097.

• September 10 & 11 - 11:30am - 9:00pm (daily)
  Shore of Erie International Wine Festival 2005
  Location: Fort Malden National Historic Site of Canada 100 Laird Avenue