Description of Historic Place

The Assumption Academy is a brick and stone structure built in 1944 in East Bathurst. It is located across from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on Rough Waters Drive in Bathurst.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Assumption Academy as a local historic place resides in the recognition of the work of Father Auguste Allard (1884-1970), then priest of the parish of Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel in East Bathurst.

Known for his work on behalf of the French cause, Father Auguste Allard undertook to build this school for the people of the parish in 1942. It was completed in 1944. His main work, however, was in the area of colonization, and it was thanks to him that the communities of Allardville and Saint-Sauveur were established in the 1930s. The heritage value of the Assumption Academy also lies in its modern 1940s architectural style. It is a solid three-storey construction that combines materials such as concrete, stone, and brick. The whole structure is assembled on a simple rectangular plan without ornamentation. The exterior finish is an elegant amalgamation of brick and granite, which was very popular in the region. The various façades are adorned with rows of windows arranged symmetrically. The school was built by Louis Fecteau, a contractor from Quebec City, who did work in many places in the region, including the church in Grande-Anse, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in East Bathurst, and the Collège Sacré-Coeur in Bathurst.

The Assumption Academy has heritage value relating to the work of the nuns of the Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Cœur congregation who arrived in East Bathurst in 1942 at the request of Father Allard in order to take over the Assumption Convent and later the Assumption Academy. The sisters of the Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Cœur congregation were involved in several parish movements and organizations, such as the choir, the music festival, and les Enfants de Marie. Their presence contributed greatly to maintaining the close ties that united education and the Roman Catholic religion. Part of the heritage value of this building lies in its importance as a place of elementary and high school education for the Francophone and Acadian population of the parish of Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel in East Bathurst. Recognized in 1947 as a public school under New Brunswick’s Public Schools Act, the school was transferred to the provincial government in 1968.

Source: Bathurst Heritage Trust Commission Inc. files - "Assumption Academy"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements associated with the Assumption Academy include:
- location facing Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church;
- symmetrical arrangement of the openings;
- exterior finish alternating the use of brick and local granite;
- vertical glass block windows;
- rows of stone bands wrapping around the building;
- sign for "Académie Assomption" set in the centre of the main façade.