Shawn Flynn
President
About Us
Get to Know
Rivière Qui Barre Community Centre
Discover Our Vision, Mission, and Values, and Learn About Our Commitment to the Community
Transforming History: The Modern Rivière Qui Barre Arena
The Riviere Qui Barre Arena was first built in 1974 by three separate Societies (Riviere Qui Barre, Mearns and Alcomdale) who came together when they saw the need to keep their kids busy in the winter months when families weren't in the fields or busy with their farms.
In 1991, after dealing with the natural ice for that long, the jump to artificial ice was made. Then in 2001, the Society recognized that things were a little tight and expanded slightly by adding a new wing that included dressing rooms, referee room/washroom, outdoor concession and storage. The old wooden bleachers were replaced with concrete and aluminum in 2008, expanding the seating capacity to 350.
In January 2017, the Government of Canada announced that the Rivière Qui Barre Agricultural Society would receive $200,000 for Arena Lobby renovations as part of the Canada 150 Grant. In March 2017, Sturgeon County added a further $100,000 towards the project. With this funding and the monumental volunteer hours, fundraising efforts and support from our community, an extensive renovation of the Arena lobby ,kitchen, washrooms and meeting room was completed by January 2018.
In late 2017, it was announced that a Camilla School replacement was being built and that the old school would be demolished. Recognizing an amazing opportunity, the Ag Society entered into an agreement with Sturgeon School Division to retain the old school gymnasium and ancillary classrooms, which are adjacent to the arena lobby. In 2020, the rest of the old school was demolished, and Phase 1 of the work began. This phase, to complete the necessary work to exterior and interior systems and make the building self-contained, was completed in 2022, and the gymnasium and new Community Room 1 were opened to the public for rentals and activities. Phase 2 is now beginning, with financial support from Sturgeon County and a CFEP grant. This phase will see the renovation of the classroom wing, washrooms and storage areas, opening up even more possibilities for community use.
The Ag Society is a Registered Charity and appreciates any additional donations to help with the renovations. Tax receipts will be issued and any contribution would be used to further benefit the community. To find out how to donate, email info@rqbalberta.com
Education and Community - Camilla School & RQB
Rivière Qui Barre is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Sturgeon County It is located 1 kilometer west of Highway 44, approximately 22 kilometers northwest of Edmonton's city limits. It was founded in 1885 by French-speaking settlers, adding a post office in 1895. The name is the French translation of Keepootakawa, (“river that bars the way”) the Cree name of the nearby river.
Located in the hamlet of Riviere Qui Barre, Camilla School serves rural students from Pre-K to Grade 9.The school motto “Catch the Dream... Build the Future” is the foundation on which the school functions. Staff members are committed to providing a positive and enriched total student experience. Recognizing the need to nurture the development of students, the school appreciates the value of the rural and multi-cultural heritage within the community. They meet the needs of individual students through a wide variety of academics, complementary courses, fine arts, and extracurricular programs including optional Catholic religious instruction. Global citizenship and character education are also instilled. They maintain a commitment to high-quality instruction and small class sizes. They place special focus on improving literacy skills and understand that education involves all aspects of personal development. They work hard to uphold their reputation for professional staff, friendly and cooperative students and a supportive parent community. In 2021, a new Camilla school was built, replacing the original structure built in 1954. This beautiful new school stands north of the original school site and now houses 750 students.
Agricultural Society Board
Kory Perrott
Vice President
Layne Whitson
2nd Vice President
Jeff Borle
Secretary
Megan Schwandt
Treasurer
Victor Majeau
Director
Bob Nelson
Director
Tom Soetaert
Director
Tyler Spargo
Director
Chris Moore
Director
Larry Van Brabant
Director
Monique Webb
Director
Ron Soetaert
Director
Brendan Sheehan
Director
Vacant
Director