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A tremendous pride in St. James Assiniboia - our schools, our communities and our businesses

April 20, 2021
CityofStJames.jpgSt. James Assiniboia School Division has a proud history and a powerful heritage. Our Division Leaders are proud to continue to build upon the work of those before us. This great work was and remains to strive for better education for the children of our residents in our community. 

St. James School Division #7, later becoming St. James Assiniboia School Division #2, was founded in 1915, providing over 116 years of supporting and developing education. The St. James Scholarship Foundation is a direct descendant of this original organization. Some of our original schools include St. James School, which was founded in 1855, Bannatyne and Britannia schools were built in 1911, and Strathmillan emerged in 1915. Assiniboine School came later in 1923. As the City of St. James Assiniboia continued to grow and develop, so did the schools grow, reaching a total number of 38 schools in the 1970s, with the last school being Spring Valley - now Ecole Romeo Dallaire.

With the growth of St. James Assiniboia, optimism was high as the community reached out from 'Old St. James' and stretched westward to the Perimeter Highway. Unfortunately, in the 1980s, Plan Winnipeg interdicted planned expansion north of Saskatchewan Avenue. This and a declining student population brought an end to the dream of continued growth, and a long period of school closures followed. 

In 1971, the City of St. James Assiniboia was annexed to the City of Winnipeg under the plan known as Unicity. Many older residents speak fondly of the independent civic services, including police, fire and library services. However, the community of St. James Assiniboia continued on despite its inclusion into Winnipeg and for decades after, Unicity still remained a different community. The Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce is another example of this autonomous approach to the community west of St. James Street and Kenaston Boulevard. 

Four years after Unicity in 1975, the St. James Assiniboia School Division opened its Board Office from its former location in the St. James Assiniboia City Hall. This new building is our present Board Office - The Aidan Conklin Building, named for a notable Division Trustee and Board Chair. 

There is tremendous pride in St. James Assiniboia, in our schools, in our communities and with our businesses. We recently saw the return of the Welcome Sign from the St. James Village Biz. The former City of St. James Assiniboia remains a proud, distinct community where the residents maintain a vested interest in the welfare in the education of our next generations. It is with honour and humility that my colleagues and I continue to build on the hard work and inspiration of those who came before us. 

-Craig Johnson, St. James-Assiniboia School Division Trustee


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