Club Parentaide Beauce-Centre is getting ready to expand.
The organization, which has been a staple in the region for the past 25 years, has started fundraising for the O Sommet, a project which would include both a restaurant, school, and an outdoor area with cabins.
Club Parentaide currently offers a series of programs for parents, youth, and children. Each program focuses on food, leadership, and family development. O Sommet aims to expand on programs that will address food insecurity, job skills, and tourism.
Focusing on Education
“In collaboration with the regional school board, Club Parentaide’s goal is to create an innovative educational space for both students with learning difficulties, and those who have a strong interest in the different programs we offer,” says François Grenier-Gagnér, who works in marketing and strategic development at Club Parentaide.
The school will feature fifteen learning stations, a restaurant with 40 seats, an outdoor terrace, a conference room, offices, and living spaces.
“Under the supervision of a chef, students will have the opportunity to participate in food processing and sous-vide meal preparation while learning about the art of cooking,” explains François.
They’ll also assist with serving, clearing tables and kitchen areas, washing dishes, and taking payments.
A Place With Opportunity
“Some students struggle with academic classes but others may find a true passion in a specialized industry. We want to create more opportunities for those who feel restricted in the traditional educational path,” says François.
“Some students might struggle with academic classes, but for some others, they can find a true passion in a specialized industry. We want to create more opportunities for those who feel restricted in the regular educational path,” says François.
Not only will the school prepare students for a career, but it will also impact the broader community.
“One of the major impacts of the pandemic is the lack of workers. Thanks to our new infrastructure located in nature and our innovative program, we want to train the next generation of people working in industries that struggle to find employees. The food and beverage industry was strongly hit, and we want to be part of the solution,” says François.
A Self-Sustaining Organization
To make the school self-sustaining, Club Parentaide is adding onto Village Aventuria, a theme park featuring tree courses, ziplines, and other outdoor activities. Acting as a social enterprise, the park sees about 20,000 tourists per year.
“We plan to double this number over the next three years with the addition of 10 new cabins. The cabins will be located in the forest and will be built to hold two to six people. In the summer, we plan on having more families and events such as weddings. During the winter months, we want to focus more on the corporate crowd. We want to be able to host workers or professionals who are visiting the region for work or business purposes,” explains François.
Getting Shovels in the Ground
Construction of the cabins is expected to start this spring, and they plan on starting the restaurant school towards the end of the summer. The entire project should be complete by May 2023.
“At the end of the day, Club Parentaide has the goal of becoming autonomous by self-financing all its activities thanks to our social enterprise. With the profits, we want to be able to create more programs for families and we want to be able to provide food for those who don’t have access to their basic needs in terms of food,” says François.
To learn more about Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind, click here!