PHS unveils new multi-sport court project
Camilla Faragalli
Shawville Oct. 20, 2023
Pontiac High School (PHS) is celebrating the official completion of its new multi-sport court project.
Several of the projects various benefactors, along with Shawville mayor, Bill McCleary, gathered at the school on Friday to mark the occasion.
“You can actually play tennis, pickleball, badminton, volleyball, basketball and road hockey all on the same court now,” said Darcy Findlay, the school’s physical education teacher and one of the project’s key organizers.
According to Findlay, the courts will be fully accessible to the community.
“Anyone is more than welcome to come and use it at any time,” Findlay said, emphasizing how projects between school and community are essential for regional development.
“They provide opportunity and reason for young families to move here,” he said, “They showcase a possible lifestyle, and the facilities and recreational opportunities that we can provide them.”
The project was started about two years ago, during the pandemic. “I think it’s a long time coming for us to do something with it,” said Holly Anabelle Smith, a student at PHS, adding that the tennis court that had existed there previously was old, cracked and in disrepair.
Cade Kuehl, another student at PHS, said he believes the outdoor basketball courts in particular will get a lot of use.
“I think it’s awesome to see new stuff coming in the community, and being able to hang out outside is great, rather than being cooped up like we have been for the past few years,” he added.
Roughly $100,000 went into the project, which was funded by the Shawville Lions Club ($7,500), the Municipality of Shawville ($5,000), the Municipality of Clarendon ($5,000), the Shawville Rotary and the Maison des Jeunes ($1,000). The remaining balance was covered by the Western Quebec School Board.
Benefactors and organizers of PHS’s new multi-sport courts gathered on Friday to celebrate the project’s completion (from left): Rep for Clarendon Eric Smith, Mayor of Shawville Bill McCleary, WQSB custodian Frank Frost, Shawville Council member Julien Gagnon, PHS Teacher Chad Davis, Rep for pickleball group Mary Ann Abrams, Shawville Lions Club rep Steve Sutton, PHS Principal Dr. Terry Burns, PHS Teacher Darcy Findlay, PHS Vice-Principal Luke McLaren and former Mayor of Shawville Albert Armstrong.
PHS hosts first ultimate frisbee tournament
Camilla Faragalli
Shawville Oct, 20. 2023
Grey skies and drizzle couldn’t wipe the smiles from the faces of students that attended Pontiac High School’s (PHS) first ever ultimate Frisbee tournament on Friday.
“People are doing really well in the tournament, but we’re all really just coming together to have fun,” said Allie Benoit, a PHS student who helped organize the event.
Rylee Ballman, another PHS student who helped organize, said that the school’s ultimate Frisbee team recently went to Kanata for their first competition — “And we were like, ‘well why don’t we just have a home game here?’”
“We wanted to make a whole day out of it,” said Ballman, “So we – as a leadership class – decided to bring out our canteen, our speaker for more spirit to pump up everyone, and our mascot, Panther.
Matt Greer, a teacher at PHS, said his leadership students in grades 10 and 11 deserved full credit for executing the event.
“I helped facilitate, I guess, but they were the real organizers,” Greer said.
Present at the tournament were teams from ESSC, Aylmer, and St Mike’s from Low.
PHS hosts cross-country run
