On May 15, the Monsignor Fraser College-Annex Campus community unveiled its freshly constructed Calisthenics Parkette. With Trustee Kevin Morrison, Superintendent Rob D’Addario, and Principal Michael Alexander on hand to cut the red ribbon, staff, neighbors, and students gathered together to celebrate its completion and enjoy refreshments provided by the local favorite, Emily Rose Cafe. The parkette is situated in a repurposed daycare enclosure on Barton St. and provides both the school and the wider community with an accessible yet challenging five-element exercise circuit.
“It’s a great curricular addition for our physical education program, but it’s also a great place for our staff to connect with students through conversation,” said Chris Stidham, campus Head Teacher. “So much of what we do at our school is relational, and adding a kinesthetic element to conversation can be therapeutic.”
The Annex campus, formerly St. Peter’s elementary school, currently houses a 16 to 20 year-old alternative secondary program, the TCDSB Orientation Center for newcomers, and Stepstones For Youth, a non-profit organization dedicated to youth support and mentorship. The parkette is the latest in a series of land transformation projects on the Annex site, including a TCDSB/City partnership that resulted in the development of Monsignor Fraser Park in 2019.
“We do our best to be stewards of the neighborhood,” explained Vice Principal Michael Schmidt, who initiated the 2022-23 TCDSB Schoolyard and Playground Revitalization grant that funded the project. “Most of our students are not from the immediate vicinity but enjoy the serene and peaceful atmosphere of the Annex. These projects are a small way of contributing to both student life and the Seaton Village community. We are appreciative that our trustee, Kevin Morrison, both chose to approve the funding for our project and advocated for its completion."