On Saturday, September 29, 2007, the St. Mary's Fitness Centre opened its doors to the public. In just under a year, the Strait Regional School Board, in partnership with the Municipality of the District of St. Mary's and Nova Scotia Health Promotion and Protection, gathered enough funding to make the room a reality.

Ribbon Cutting: Constable Chris Barlas; St. Mary's Fitness Room Employee and Student; Mr. David Clark, Warden for the Municipality of the District of St. Mary's; Mrs. Mary Jess MacDonald, Chair of the Strait Regional School Board; and St. Mary's Fitness Room Employee and Student.

Principal's Message

First, I would like to thank the Strait Regional School Board, its Operations Division and Central Office Staff for their tremendous support to the new addition to our school. Your generous funding and direction has allowed us to open a first class facility.

To Mr. Scott Hudson, your professionalism over the past months ensured the project remained a school priority.

To Mr. Jerome Stewart, the Strait Regional School Board’s Active Healthy Living Consultant; the advice you provided in this process enabled us to contact the people and organizations we needed to in The Centre’s early phase of planning.

To Mr. Terry Doyle; the Board’s Director of Operations and Mr. Lou Bona, the Board’s Manager of Facilities; I express my gratitude for your obligation to ensuring that the Centre was completed for today’s ceremony.

To our school’s custodial and maintenance staff; Mrs. Judy Reeves, Mrs. Virginia Jordan, Mr. Ellis Kaiser and Mr. Philip Wilson; you worked on the room when it was nicknamed the “Jungle Room” and transformed the Room to what it is today.

To the Warden and Councilors of the District of St. Mary’s, your financial contribution and time commitment to the Centre shows your obvious commitment to the health and welfare of the people; young and old, in your individual areas.

To Brendon Smithson, your energy and dedication to the facility was tremendous. I have enjoyed working with you and look forward to discussing future projects with you.

To Mr. Gerard MacIsaac at Nova Scotia Health Promotion and Protection. The initial guidance you provided, enabled both the Board and Municipality to remain focused on the initial application for funding.

And finally to our local Royal Bank who donated $500.00 to the Fitness Centre at their 110 Years of Service ceremony yesterday. Once again, you have shown a true commitment to community based initiatives.

As you can see, there were a large number of people involved in making the room a reality.

Thank you,

Jim Keay