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Garth Webb Secondary lives up to its namesake By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The people who worked closely with the late Garth Webb to build the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France were all impressed when they toured the school that bears his name. Members of the Juno Beach Centre Association, including co-founder and Webb's life partner, Lise Cooper, along with its directors, visited Garth Webb Secondary School on Thursday. Even the director of the centre, Nathalie Worthington, flew in to see the school. "He would be so proud," said Cooper. "He would just want to be in the gym with the kids. He loved all sports." Webb, a Burlington resident, was a Second World War veteran who landed on Juno Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944) as part of the Canadian 14th Field Artillery. Webb returned to the Normandy site in 1994 during a 50th anniversary visit and realized there was little to commemorate the sacrifices of those courageous soldiers. So, he went to work and began a colossal fundraising effort to raise $10 million to build a place where new generations could learn about those sacrifices. He succeeded in his fundraising and managed to build the Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mers, France. The museum opened June 6, 2003. Webb died last May, however, his legacy continues, both at the Juno Beach Centre and here in Halton at the new Oakville high school. "There is Garth Webb's name on the building, but through Garth Webb, it's all the veterans of the Second World War who are being rewarded," said Worthington. "Garth would be so proud if he was here today because Garth Webb created the Juno Beach Centre, not for himself, not for veterans to talk about the Second World War amongst each other, he created it so that it would be a place of education in Normandy, France that would tell the story to the younger generations and a place teachers could use as an educational tool." The museum provides education for students with programming relevant to their curriculum. "Being here today, I see the other side. I see the work being done in Canada, in a Canadian school," Worthington said. The Juno Beach Centre members visited a number of classrooms, from science labs and tech rooms to drama rooms. They were greeted by students and had their questions answered. "It's awesome. I'm very impressed," Worthington said. "I see it with French eyes, so this is just amazing. I think the kids who are going to be educated here have got to realize how lucky they are to benefit from such premises and equipment. It's exceptional. Everything is nice." Cooper, too, was impressed by the school. "It's an amazing school. I don't know how many more there are like this that will have hairdressing and drama and the whole bit," she said. Cooper and Webb were co-founders of the Juno Beach Centre Association. Partners in their work, they were also partners in life. Cooper's husband and Webb were in the same regiment, but in different batteries. After the war, the regiment reunited every year on June 6, which is where Webb and Cooper met. Both of their spouses died in 1992. In 1994, Webb organized a trip to Juno Beach to retrace the regiment's steps, and sent out an invite to all members and spouses of 14th Field. Cooper went on that trip. Webb and another veteran, Don Jamieson, was later asked to take the grandchildren of the regiment to Juno Beach. Cooper, who is bilingual, went with them as a translator. "When we got there, we all realized there was nothing on the beach to show them," Cooper recalled. "There were markers, there were nice Canadian flags, there were streets signs saying, To Our Liberators, but there was nothing to show them." The beach was a place where people went to swim. Webb made up his mind to build something to commemorate the actions of Canadian soldiers. So Webb and Cooper began the fundraising campaign, lobbying governments and businesses for their support. Fundraising was tough, Cooper said. "He would just keep calling five times a day, 10 times a day, until he got an answer. We have a box of rejects at home," she said. The town of Courseulles-surMers even gave them land and the money was eventually raised. "We were proud. When it opened, we didn't owe any money. We had raised the money," she recounts. The pair also became a couple during those fundraising years, 15 · Wednesday, October 24, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog much appreciated: Jacob Gorski, 14, receives a hug from Lise Cooper, partner of the late Garth Webb and cofounder of the Juno Beach Centre, after the student presented her with a Garth Webb Secondary School jacket during the Juno Beach Centre Association's first tour of the new Garth Webb Secondary School Thursday. when Webb moved from Toronto to live with Cooper in Burlington. "Garth and his usual persuasive ways said, `Why am I coming here every day? Why don't I just move in? We'll share expenses and I'll just move in.' So, we were together for 18 years," she said. "It was nice to have somebody to live with like Garth, because Garth was a fun guy. I just miss him a lot." The members of the Juno Beach association were invited to come on the tour by Sandra Rogers, the school liaison for the organization. "The name, Garth Webb, is synonymous with what we're trying to do here," she said. "The idea is that students go beyond themselves to do great things: academically, in their community, athletics, all facets of school life. One of our main thrusts is the idea of honouring and learning about Canada's history, so it's natural we want to bring the Juno Beach Centre Association and keep our ties with them." The school is also organizing a trip to the Juno Beach Centre. O'Connor MacLeod Hanna LLP Congratulates Blair Taylor Notice of Liquor Licence Application The following establishment has applied to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for a liquor licence under the Liquor Licence Act: Application for Additional Facilities SEASONS IN OAKVILLE RESTAURANT 134 LAKESHORE ROAD EAST OAKVILLE (Indoor area) Any resident of the municipality may make a written submission as to whether the issuance of the licence is in the public interest having regard to the needs and wishes of the residents. Submissions must be received no later than November 16, 2012. Please include your name, address and telephone number. If a petition is submitted to the Commission, please identify the designated contact person. Note: The AGCO gives the applicant copies of any objections. Anonymous objections are not considered. The personal information gathered is collected under the authority of the Liquor Licence Act. The principal purpose of the collection is to assess eligibility for the issuance of a liquor sales licence. Copies of all objections are given to the applicant. The information may also be disclosed pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Questions about this collection should be directed to the Manager, Licensing and Registration, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario at the address, telephone numbers or e-mail address listed below. Submissions to be sent to: Licensing and Registration, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, 90 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M2N 0A4. Tel: 416-326-8700 OR Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-522-2876. Fax: 416-326-5555. E-mail: licensing@agco.on.ca O'Connor MacLeod Hanna LLP, is pleased to announce that Blair S. Taylor has been appointed to serve on the Ontario Municipal Board. Blair has been a partner with O'Connor MacLeod Hanna LLP for the past twenty one years and previously practiced law with MacLeod Knox Watts. During that time, Blair has developed a strong reputation as one of the preeminent legal practitioners of municipal and land use planning law. We want to congratulate Blair on this well earned appointment. The remaining lawyers in our Municipal Group are dedicated to demonstrating the same excellence in legal services to our clients. We invite you to contact either Hal Watson or James McAskill with your municipal law and land use planning matters: Hal Watson Ext. 3311 watson@omh.ca James McAskill Ext. 3304 mcaskill@omh.ca 700 Kerr Street, Oakville, ON, L6K 3W5 www.omh.ca