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Barrie Central Collegiate flag flies over city hall as school prepares to close

Dozens of past and present students and teachers gathered at city hall this afternoon, as the mayor declared Barrie Central Collegiate Week

Dozens of past and present students and teachers gathered at city hall this afternoon, as the mayor declared Barrie Central Collegiate Week.

With the final graduation ceremony scheduled for Tuesday evening at the downtown school and the doors closing for good this week, it was an emotional flag-raising for all - even Mayor Jeff Lehman, who got his start in politics as student body president at Central.

The school opened 173 years ago and the Simcoe County District School Board voted to close it down because the cost of necessary repairs were "prohibitive."

Lehman said the flag-raising was a sad occasion.

"Many flag-raisings are raising awareness or celebrating something in the community, Unfortunately, this one is about saying goodbye to an institution that has been an enormous part of the community," he said.

"The history of the school is the history of the city from the boys that went off to war to the band concerts . . . When you think about the contributions over the years, its been unbelievable.

"It's a sad day."

Robin and Jay Malandrino have both been teachers at Central. They brought their three sons to the flag-raising Monday.

"I'm very sad for my kids, because they won't have a chance to go to Central."

Ben Browne is in his fifth year at the school and he has been very vocal on social media about how the closure has affected students and teachers.

Vending machines have been taken out of the building, lockers are empty and classrooms are packed up.

"Teachers have been packing their rooms and shipping things off to new schools. Other schools have been coming in and taking things away.

"I have a lump in my throat just thinking about it. This has been a sad day and a sad week."

Lehman says he enjoyed seeing the history of the institution on display at the reunion weekend in May.

"To hear and see everything from music to academics and to have my old guidance counselor singing 'Roll out the Barrel' again . . . It was just an amazing weekend.

Council proclaimed this week Barrie Central Week.

"One of the small ways we can mark this sad week for our community is to raise the Barrie Central flag and have it flying here at city hall this week," Lehman told the crowd.

 


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Robin MacLennan

About the Author: Robin MacLennan

Robin MacLennan has been a reporter, photographer and editor for the daily media in Barrie, across Simcoe County and Toronto for many years. She is a proud member of the Barrie community.
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