New Blind River school has a name

Blind River’s new school will be known as Three Rivers JK-12 School.

Algoma District School Board trustees voted to approve the name at their regular monthly meeting held Tuesday evening after a briefing from Blind River-based ADSB trustee Debbie Shamas.

A school-naming committee of 13 people included school board officials, staff, students, community members and Indigenous community members.

The committee chose Three Rivers from a short list of three possible names, the two others being Huron North and North Current, Shamas told the board.

Shamas said Three Rivers was chosen because it includes the Mississauga River, Blind River and Serpent River, the three languages of English, French and Ojibway and the three communities of Iron Bridge, Blind River and Serpent River that the school will serve.

“I think that is an absolutely beautiful name. It encompasses the whole area. I think it’s a lovely name to represent our new school,” Shamas said.

The $50.5-million school will be shared by the ADSB and Conseil scolaire du Grand Nord and located at 158 Youngfox Road in Blind River.

It will include 381 JK-12 spaces, 64 childcare spaces and 72 French-language elementary spaces for families in the region.

Construction on the new school will begin soon and it is anticipated to open for students in time for the 2025-26 school year.