(TLN) Around 100 people had the privilege of being present for an historic moment at Collège Montmorency on Sept. 23 when a new pavilion dedicated to the study and learning of human sciences was inaugurated.
The new building has been named the Guy-Rocher Pavilion in honour of a man who is credited with having helped launch Quebec’s vast community college network. Rocher was on hand, as were Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard, UQAM rector Magda Fusaro, Laval mayor Marc Demers and Collège Montmorency executive-director Olivier Simard.
“Just like Guy Rocher, Collège Montmorency is also very audicious and has innovative spirit,” said Simard, noting that the building was being inaugurated during festivities marking the college’s 50th anniversary.
Labs and other facilities
The new building was under construction for two years. It was paid for with subsidies from the provincial and federal governments. The building contains interdiscipliniary study clinics, research laboratories for microbiology, entomology and chemistry researchers, neurofeed back research projects, the human sciences department, and offices used by Université du Québec à Montréal offices to facilitate exchanges between the college and the university.
Guy Rocher played a key role in the development of Quebec’s CEGEP system. During the early 1960s he was a member of the Parent Commission on education in Quebec, whose findings recommended the creation of a provincial Ministry of Education as well as the creation of community colleges (CEGEPs). The Parent Commission laid the groundwork for Quebec’s modern education system.
