Joonyah and I were talking about old times and we decided to visit Beauval again. Our ticket was provided by Google maps. Thirty years ago, this was home. The Canadian Department of Indian and Northern Affairs paid me to teach in this lovely backwater, and provided housing at a nominal cost. We left in 1980 because the Government of Saskatchewan would not allow me to keep my teaching certificate unless I became a Canadian citizen. When we left, the school and its grounds had just been turned over to the English River Band.
The old residential school building is no longer standing. The shop down by the river, where I rebuilt my truck engine, is gone. The hockey rink, which was lovingly maintained by both students and staff, is no more. Joonyah pointed out that the old school bus still seems to be parked in the back, though. Some of the best years of our lives were spent in this isolated (at that time) backwater. The memories of what was then still make me a bit homesick, but I think we left at the right time.------------------
This is a better shot that I stole from somebody's web page. My biology / chemistry lab was in the low section of the new addition on the far right. That is Lac La Plonge in the distance.
It seems the residence shut down in 1983, just 3 years after we left. We definitely left at the right time.
After a Decade
7 years ago
My Sugar Creek Gang memories!!! Yep, when I think of "home" I do think of Beauval. Too bad they removed the hockey rink. Some good memories there!
ReplyDeleteI edited the post to add another photo, an oblique shot taken from above the village, looking east. Not sure when it was taken, but if you enlarge it, you can still see the fence around the rink.
ReplyDeleteYup. Walk out the back door, and you could travel a thousand miles without hitting civilization.