Oakville Trafalgar High School

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Oakville Trafalgar High School
Address
1460 Devon Road

Oakville
,
Ontario
,
L6J 3L6

Canada
Coordinates43°28′21″N 79°39′16″W / 43.47250°N 79.65444°W / 43.47250; -79.65444Coordinates: 43°28′21″N 79°39′16″W / 43.47250°N 79.65444°W / 43.47250; -79.65444
Information
Motto"palma non sine pulvere" (No reward without effort)
Established1908
StatusOpen
School boardHalton District School Board
PrincipalMeena Sahi[1][2]
Grades9-12
Enrolment1341 (2020–2021)[3]
Hours in school day6.5 Hours
Colour(s)   Black and Red
AthleticsFootball, Volleyball, Basketball, Curling, Baseball, Rugby, Soccer, Swimming, Cross Country, Hockey, Field Hockey, Golf, Tennis, Track, Ski, Snowboarding, Field Lacrosse
NicknameOT
Team nameRed Devils[4]
PublicationDevils Advocate

Oakville Trafalgar High School (OTHS, often referred to as "OT"), founded in 1908, is a secondary school located in Oakville, Ontario. The school receives most of its students from nearby feeder schools, including Maple Grove Public School, École EJ James, St Luke's Catholic Elementary School, St. Vincent's Catholic Elementary School and James W. Hill, as well as many students coming from private schools.

History[]

Oakville Trafalgar High School was the second high school established in Oakville. Before 'OT,' as it's commonly known in the community, there was Oakville Grammar School on Navy Street where the Oakville Public Library now stands. That school was redesigned by architect Alfred Chapman and became the original Oakville Trafalgar High School in 1908 on Reynolds Street.[5] In 1946, the districts of Trafalgar and Oakville merged and the school's name was changed to Oakville Trafalgar High School.

The school was a major contributor to war efforts during World War I and again in World War II, turning the school field into a field where they grew crops to send overseas. During this time different sports and clubs were formed. The two most popular being rugby and hockey and often had a large fan turnout. The largest and most popular change was the allowance of dances, until this time dances were banned in the school. 35 students, listed on the school's cenotaph, fought and died during World War II.

By 1988, 80 years after it opened, the Halton School Board determined the OTHS building on Reynolds Street no longer met the school's needs.[6] The superintendent said the existing building was crumbling, overcrowded, antiquated, and had no room to expand;[6] the chair of the board called it "overcrowded and rundown."[7] Renovation was considered at first, but ultimately the board opted to relocate the school to a "high-tech" $18 million new facility on Devon Road.[8] This decision was controversial in the community because of the cost and the perceived demerits of the site.[7] The debate spread beyond public complaints and into the legal realm: a police investigation was opened to review the board's actions, but no misconduct was found and no charges were laid.[9]

Despite the friction over the years-long process to upgrade the school, the new OTHS location on Devon Road opened in September 1992.[9] At the opening ceremony, former Oakville mayor (and former OTHS student) Bill Perras called it "one of the most controversial schools ever built."[10] Though it ushered in a modern era for Oakville Trafalgar High school, the new building—designed by local architect Andrew Bruce[11]—features an homage to the old: the stylized brick facade behind the stage in the main atrium mimics the roofline of the original school on Reynolds Street.[12]

Relay for Life[]

In 2019, Oakville Trafalgar High School was Canada's number one youth fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life event, raising over $1 million for charity in the years the fundraiser has taken place.[13]

Notable alumni[]

See also[]

  • List of high schools in Ontario

References[]

  1. ^ "Faculty". Oakville Trafalgar High School. Google Sites. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  2. ^ "School Details". Halton District School Board. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  3. ^ "School Details". Halton District School Board. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Sports". Oakville Trafalgar High School. Google Sites. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  5. ^ "School History". oth. Oakville Trafalgar High School. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b Tyler, Tracey (March 1, 1988). "Plan to replace school angers Oakville parents". Toronto Star. p. W2.
  7. ^ a b Hudson, Kellie (October 19, 1989). "Building school "defies logic," taxpayers say". Toronto Star. p. W1.
  8. ^ Nikiforuk, Andrew (November 8, 1991). "FIFTH COLUMN EDUCATION Andrew Nikiforuk reports on a school board that has been doing some very funny things". The Globe and Mail. p. A.16.
  9. ^ a b "New OTHS facility opens as opponents still cry foul". Oakville Beaver. January 6, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  10. ^ Hart, Dianne (April 30, 1993). "Controversial past surfaces at official opening of new OTHS". Oakville Beaver. p. 2. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  11. ^ "Developer can move Bronte heritage buildings". InsideHalton.com. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  12. ^ "New OTHS facility opens as opponents still cry foul". The Oakville Beaver. January 6, 1993. p. 5. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  13. ^ Slack, Julie (May 29, 2019). "Oakville Trafalgar raises $1-million over the years participating in Relay For Life". InsideHalton.com. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  14. ^ "Zenon Andrusyshyn". Oakville Sports Hall of Fame. Oakville Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Larry Cain". Oakville Sports Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g "Hundred years of high school memories". insideHALTON.com. Burlington Post. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  17. ^ Le, Julia (7 March 2014). "Oakville's Dillon Casey stars in Canadian medical drama Remedy". insideHALTON.com. Oakville Beaver. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  18. ^ "Former OT student Gagner cracks Canadian Jr. team". insideHALTON.com. Burlington Post. 16 December 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  19. ^ "First NHL goal a memorable one for Oakville's Goloubef". InsideHalton.com. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  20. ^ "Canada's 2018 Men's Olympic Hockey Team". www.hockeycanada.ca. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  21. ^ "James Hinchcliffe". insideHALTON.com. Burlington Post. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  22. ^ "Dead female combat pilot went to school in Oakville". Oakville Beaver. October 30, 1994. p. 2. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  23. ^ Manegold, Catherine S. (January 1, 1995). "The Short Flight of a Fighter Pilot". 6. The New York Times. p. 35. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  24. ^ Blackburn, Angela (21 May 2008). "OT reunion set to salute a centenarian". Burlington Post. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  25. ^ D'Souza, Claudia (December 12, 1999). "When the Governor General Calls". The Oakville Beaver. p. 9. Retrieved 2021-12-30.

External links[]

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