MONTRÉAL, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - In the wake of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame's (CND) announcement that a real estate brokerage firm had recently been mandated to sell the Villa-Maria estate, the board of directors and management of Villa Maria wish to reaffirm their commitment to the community: Villa Maria will remain on its current site, without compromise.
"We are determined to remain on our heritage site in order to pursue the educational mission of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. Given its rich 170-year history, Villa Maria must be central to the issues surrounding the future of the estate, in the interests of our 1,900 current students and the thousands more who could eventually benefit from our unique educational offering, as well as those of our dedicated personnel, and the entire community," stated Catherine Maheu, Chair of the Board of Directors.
Furthermore, the Congrégation made it clear that it was committed to expressly mention, in the notice of sale, the school management's intention to pursue its activities on the site beyond its current lease, which expires in 2030.
"Since the sale of the estate was announced in June 2023, we have been working relentlessly to preserve our educational mission, exploring various scenarios to this end. We have kept all our educational, social and governmental partners abreast of our commitment to ensuring the future of the gem that Villa Maria is. All share our vision to preserve the school as well as the institutional character of the site," added Ms. Maheu.
Over the coming weeks, and once the call for tenders has been issued, the board of directors and management will refrain from making further comments, in order to keep from prejudicing the process. It should also be noted that, in keeping with its contract with the Congrégation de Notre-Dame, Villa Maria has a right of first refusal — a right, which it intends to exercise should the need arise.
Villa Maria is a private co-ed school providing a secondary education in French and English to 1,900 students. Its mission is to provide each of them with the personalized support needed to uncover their full potential. During its more than 170-year history, the school has produced more than 20,000 graduates, acquiring a solid reputation for the quality of its teaching. Designated a historic monument in 1951, the building that houses the school stands in an enchanting setting offering students a stimulating living environment fostering their growth and development.
SOURCE Collège Villa Maria
Murillo Rego, Head of Communications and Marketing, [email protected], 514 484-4950 #3217
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