Fisher Park High School - History

History

The story of Fisher Park began in 1945 when Ottawa had only 4 high schools, and a plan was underway by the Collegiate Institute Board (a cooperation between the Ottawa Separate School Board and the Ottawa Public School Board) to build Ottawa its fifth high school in what was then referred to as the West End. On July 25, 1945, after much debate, Fisher Park was chosen as the site for the new school, and was touted “the most up-to-date building for student and community use that can be built.” On December 21, 1946, the Ontario Department of Education announced approval of the school's plans, and building would begin in the spring. The school was estimated to cost $1,450,000.

On November 12, 1948, His Excellency Viscount Alexander, Governor General of Canada, laid the cornerstone of Fisher Park High School.

By 1949, however, cost overruns in the building of the school were "deplored" and resulted in a protest by the Board of Trade. "The additional cost of Fisher High School will have a very decided impact on Ottawa's taxpayers" said Roy F. Fleming, the secretary of the Property Owner's Association at the time. Many felt that there was an over-emphasis on recreation (the plan had been to make Fisher Park not only a high school but also a community center). Plans to make the small gym into a pool, as well as a "girls" gym on the second floor, were scrapped.

Nevertheless, Fisher Park High School opened with the first day of classes on September 6, 1949. Construction continued for the entire first year of the school. Fisher Park was officially opened by the Honourable Leslie Frost (Premier of Ontario 1949-61) on May 2, 1951. The school was named after a former Ottawa mayor and "distinguished Canadian", Harold Fisher.

In 1950, a contest was held to name the Fisher Park yearbook. Out of over 200 entries, a student named John Foulds won a cash prize for his suggestion: "Fi Pa Hi."

On November 28, 1966 the Auditorium of Fisher Park High School was the location of the Ottawa debut of Janet Baker.

In 1969, former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau sent a letter of greetings to the students of the school for its 20th anniversary. The letter was published in the 68-69 Fi Pa Hi.

For 38 years, Fisher Park High was a proud, strong school described as "a student's dream come true," and claimed the distinction of being Ottawa's first composite vocational school, teaching academic subjects along with metalwork, woodwork, machine/auto shop, electricity, drama, arts, as well as finance and business. The first student body was 491 students in grades 9 and 10, and it peaked at 1,900 students in 1958, before the opening of Laurentian High which cut Fisher Park's population back to 1,439 in 1961. This number remained relatively stable for decades.

On October 25-26th, 1974, a 25th Reunion was held at Fisher Park. Hundreds of Fisher Park graduates returned to the school for festivities.

An excerpt from the yearbook entry about the 25th reunion:

"...All the students involved saw that hundreds of graduates were enthusiastically returning to Fisher Park to salute it. Their obvious pride in their old school, and the smiles of their faces as they recalled old memories at the Dinner Dance on Saturday night proved to be contagious. As one Fisher student remarked, "Nowhere have I seen so many people having such a really great time."

FPHS was closed by the Ottawa Board of Education in 1987. On July 16, 1986, the then trustees of the OBE voted (9-7) to close Fisher Park High School. Few FPHS students who were at the school in 1986 will forget an assembly at which Trustee Alex Cullen promised to help keep the school open, and then reneged and voted to close it.

The school crest was designed by Mr. Robert Walker, then the art director of Fisher Park High School's vocational art course, in the summer of 1952. The crest represented all courses within Fisher Park. The open book on the crest is symbolic of the general course, the open book representing learning. The three smaller panels below represent the three other courses at Fisher, the technical course, the art course, and the commercial course. A T-square, flask, cogwheel and electrical spark represent the technical course, the ship of commerce represents the commercial course, and the art section represented by a palette, brushes, pen and ink. The motto "Est Dignus", "Be Worthy", was given to Fisher Park by its first vice-principal, Mr. L. McCarthy." - 69-70 Fi-Pa-Hi Yearbook

In 1994 the school reopened as Fisher Park Public School, a middle-school for students in grades 7 and 8. The building is also shared with the Summit Alternative School.