EABAMETOONG FIRST NATION — School is still in-session.
Speaking to Dougall Media during a recent visit to Thunder Bay, Chief Solomon Atlookan of Eabametoong First Nation provided an update regarding progress towards the building of a new school in the community.
“We were worried about the winter road, initially, to haul all of our materials and supplies. I’m quite sure we managed to get the majority of the bulky stuff – the heavy stuff into the community,” Atlookan said.
Community members and leaders were left speechless in late January when Eabametoong’s original school, the John C. Yesno Education Centre, burned down in a fire that the Nishnawbe Aski Police (NAPS) determined was “consistent with arson.”
Two young suspects were taken into custody following an investigation.
Minister Patty Hajdu empathized with members of Eabametoong First Nation while acknowledging it would be “a long road ahead” to get a new school built, but ultimately pledged $3 million towards the new school on behalf of the federal government and Indigenous Services Canada.
When Dougall Media caught up with Atlookan recently, he said Eabametoong’s ice road is holding despite a temperamental winter season.
“Surprisingly, our winter road held up and is still going – and we had two loads [of supplies] come in yesterday, so that’s almost it,” Atlookan said.
He added that they’re aiming to open their temporary school in September while work gets underway on construction of a permanent educational space.
“It has to happen immediately. All of the logistics have been put in place, such as where it’s going to go – the storage, the contractors, all of that,” he said.
In the meantime, Atlookan said that Eabametoong’s education authority has been working hard to salvage the rest of the school year.
“I can’t say enough for our staff – our education staff. They’re doing whatever they can to keep our children busy and using whatever resources, materials, facilities that we have. I know they have lessons every day. They’re still doing that.”
He concluded by expressing his excitement for a new, permanent school and said their proposal for the school’s design is in the final stages of the approval process.