Wilfrid Laurier University

When Father Louis Funcken began what would become St. Jerome’s College, and later St. Jerome’s High School, back in 1865, he had one thing in mind: the importance of a good education.

When the red brick boys’ school closed its doors in 1990, many thought the school’s pursuit of higher learning was over for good, but then along came the City of Kitchener’s innovative plan for revitalizing the downtown. As part of its strategy to re-energize Kitchener’s core, the City and Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) partnered to bring the school’s Faculty of Social Work - named the Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work - downtown.

In September 2006, the Faculty of Social Work opened its doors in the renovated red brick shell of the former St. Jerome’s High School, across from Kitchener City Hall on Duke Street.

Financial Impacts on the City of Kitchener:

• $11 million project
• $6.5 million contribution by the City of Kitchener towards purchase and renovation of building.
• $1.5 million impact on downtown Kitchener through spending by 300 students, faculty and staff.
• Estimated spending of approximately $8,000 per capita annually. (Adventus Research)
• School will drive $3.3 million worth of expenditures in the local economy annually. (Adventus Research)
• 53 new jobs locally once renovations are complete.

Expanding the Faculty of Social Work

As the campaign to bring the historic St. Jerome’s site to life with the hustle and bustle of 300 students and 30 full-time staff and faculty comes full circle, there are glimpses of history repeating itself.

Like St. Jerome’s in its early days, WLU also needs larger quarters to accommodate its Faculty of Social Work students and the growing demand for new and innovative ways to both examine and handle social issues.

The move will mean a physical expansion from the school’s current 10,000 square feet of space to a 40,000 square-foot facility complete with the TD Bank Financial Group Library Resource Centre, the Manulife Financial Auditorium, computer labs, a learning and commons area, more classrooms (including a unique circular classroom), lounges for both PhD and Master’s students, an airy and bright public cafe, research centres, community meeting rooms and plenty of office space.

The added space allowed a new specialized program to educate and train up to 20 Master of Social Work (MSW) students to work in the aboriginal way and is not limited to aboriginal students.

The Partnerships for Family and Children’s Welfare, the Manulife Financial Centre for Healthy Aging and a continuing education program for human service workers and the general public also operates from the new facility.

Contact Information:

Cory Bluhm,
Manager, Downtown Community Development,
City of Kitchener
519-741-3400 ext. 3375
cory.bluhm@kitchener.ca