The Ontario Hockey Academy will return. That is the message being delivered by Owner Giles Lascelle only hours after a fire devastated the OHA dormitory.
One hundred and thirty two students were enrolled in the OHA this season, and twenty five staff members relied on the OHA for their income. To lose a community asset like this in Cornwall Ontario would only be more tragic.
The school building though and cafeteria were left unscathed in the fire, so rebuilding a dormitory over the course of the next three months may actually be doable. Certainly a tight timeline to be ready for students to return, but not out of the realm of possibility.
Other housing options are already being discussed, such as temporary billet homes, and temporary housing according to some students and parents.
The Ontario Hockey Academy was an innovation in Canada. While Prep Schools are common in the United States, they were a new concept to Canadian and many international students.
Over the last eight years, the OHA has produced some great student athletes. An Alumni list that features several NCAA Division One Women’s players, and some up and coming Mens players being watched by NCAA programs.
TJHN will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
