Bronte Creek Project

This digital memoire is a time capsule of sorts, designed to be a template, for down the road, when someone may wish to resurrect the program, or do something similar. There will be lots of specific, useful information here, that can be distilled, for such a venture. We also hope that those who were involved in the program over the years, will find in this memoire, a refresher of the experiences and values that were a part of their learning, while involved in the program.

The Bronte Creek Project was a unique high school program initiated by two teachers in the Halton District Board of education in 1981. This integrated environmental leadership training program provided a transformative experiential program to over 3000 high school students and over 8000 elementary school students in the community over its 38 year history. It was born in the crucible of an emerging environmental movement and a growing interest n learning that was More experiential, intuitive and creative. Like any new thing, it was not born whole, and evolved under the tutelage of its many staff and students, always looking to improve itself. It also, like most alternative programs, did not experience smooth sailing, constantly having to contend with financial stress, unstable site locations, transportation and recruitment issues.

The program was cancelled in 2019 largely due to financial restraint, caused by provincial budget cuts. Of course in these so-called times of restraint, it is the non-mainstream courses that go first. Most experiential, environment focused programs in the province are unfortunately now gone.

A small team of BCP alumni have decided that the program should not remain silenced. We feel that our species, if not the planet, is in the midst of an existential crisis, and that education should be a large part of the solution. Our children need to be raised, with an understanding of the interconnectedness of all things, and that there are solutions to climate change and other serious issues, that we can bring about, when we martial energy and resources, and work together.