Lake Winnipeg School Bundle

Honoring Tradition in UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Lake Winnipeg School Bundle was a package of three schools that were built within the Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO World Heritage Site. Poplar River First Nation, Little Grand Rapids Fist Nation, and Bloodvein First Nation are three of four communities who were instrumental in gaining UNESCO recognition for both cultural and natural conservation.

The projects were carried out in collaboration with NDL Construction, Indigenous Services Canada, Keewatin Aski Ltd, Shawano Consulting Ltd, and numerous consultants. Community engagement and rights-holder engagement were crucial to ensure that the program of each school was tailored to each community’s specific needs and identity.

The Lake Winnipeg Schools are all LEED® Silver accredited.

A key feature of each school’s design is its ability to function as both a community gathering space and school.

At the core of each school is a music/multi-purpose room, a commercial kitchen, a large gathering and eating cafeteria, and a gym and fitness room.

In each school, the multi-level cafeteria is adjacent to the gym, allowing the raised portion of the cafeteria to act as a stage for the gym. The classrooms are positioned as “wings” off this central space, allowing the core areas to remain open after hours while keeping the classroom wings shut. The large walls of each centrally-located gym double as feature walls, and reflect the unique perspectives and identities of each school and the community it serves.

The Lake Winnipeg School Bundle encompasses three of four communities who were instrumental in gaining UNESCO recognition for both cultural and natural conservation.