On October 30, Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) celebrated a momentous groundbreaking for the new Outdoor Education and Indigenous Centre at its future location in Minden, Ontario. The facility will provide over 17,000 Kindergarten to Grade 12 students with immersive, meaningful learning opportunities in a natural setting. The location of this site was chosen as it is most central for all schools within the Board.
The milestone event was attended by Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Laurie Scott, Mayor of Minden Hills Bob Carter, Oshkaabewis Dave Rice from Wasauksing First Nation, and representatives from TLDSB, including trustees, chief executive officer (CEO), Wes Hahn, and members from the senior administration and Indigenous Student Success teams.
“This new centre will give students the chance to explore the outdoors, learn from Indigenous perspectives and develop skills through hands-on experiences,” said MPP Scott. “I want to thank the school board, Indigenous partners and everyone involved in making this possible. I look forward to seeing the opportunities it will create for students for years to come.”
“This initiative is unique and the work is a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action. It’s about trust and collaboration to ensure all TLDSB students have the opportunity to participate in Indigenous ways of knowing and being through land-based learning” said TLDSB CEO Hahn. “Thank you to the Minister of Education, Paul Calandra, and MPP Laurie Scott who believe in the impact this project will have on current and future students. Many thanks also go to the Indigenous partners, students, and staff who have challenged and motivated us to be better learners of the land.”
On behalf of Elder Dorthy Taylor from Curve Lake First Nation, TLDSB Indigenous Education curriculum consultant, Kelly Moore, spoke sharing, “The Outdoor Education and Indigenous Centre will be an important part of the educational opportunity for our students – they will have a closer walk with the land. Congratulations on this momentous occasion. The students and faculty will thank you for this wonderful facility being built here on our mother earth.”
The program will utilize the 90+ acres of land with one purpose-built building designed to support year-round environmental education. Inside, the open-concept building will feature a large instructional area, a mezzanine, offices, storage, kitchen, and washroom facilities. Outdoors, there will be an oversized patio and trails ready for students to hike in the warmer months and snowshoe through the natural landscape during the colder months. The curriculum, led by educators, will integrate cross-curricular outcomes with authentic land-based learning, prioritizing Indigenous ways of knowing and being guided by Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
This $3.8 million project is funded solely by TLDSB’s accumulated surplus—with a dedicated reserve established specifically to support this project. The procurement process for construction contracts is currently underway, and it is anticipated that the project will be completed in the winter/spring of 2028.
Prior to today’s event, there was a laying of tobacco, and there will be a sacred ceremony to honour the land in the very near future.
For more information about the Outdoor Education and Indigenous Centre and the Board’s ongoing commitment to outdoor and Indigenous education, visit the Outdoor Education page.
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