Thousands expected to attend Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute reunion

Thousands of people are expected to return to their old stomping grounds this weekend to celebrate Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute’s 225th birthday.

On Thursday, KCVI students held a pep rally to kick off the reunion weekend. The festivities included an open house, drama festival, fun run and the main event — a gala and talent show.

“Our last one was in 1992. It was a long time ago so to bring people back to the school and physically walk these halls is really exciting,” said Helena Huskilson, a teacher with KCVI.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Our last one was in 1992. It was a long time ago so to bring people back to the school and physically walk these halls is really exciting," said Helena Huskilson, a teacher with KCVI.

KCVI is one of the oldest schools in all of Canada.  Don Cherry, members of the Tragically Hip and even Sir John A Macdonald represented the blue and white.

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But the reunion is bittersweet. This will be the last big celebration held at the Frontenac Street building. The school will be closing its doors after more than a hundred years.

In September 2019 the KC and QECVI school communities will be consolidating at a new school being built on the grounds of QE.

“The building has a lot of history and that’s sad to leave the history but we’ll be creating new history as we move forward into the new school as a team,” principal Tayla McKenna said.

Current students say they’re excited to be a part of the milestone year. Many say KCVI is more than just a school, it’s a community.

“My parents went here, my sister went here,” said grade 11 student Kyara McKegney.

“There’s such a long legacy at KCVI and I’m so excited to meet the people who used to go here.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There's such a long legacy at KCVI and I'm so excited to meet the people who used to go here."

Grade 11 student Wail Osman agreed and added, “I think it will be great connecting with them, see what their past is like versus our present. I think it’s going to be great, I’m very excited.”