The Clarence-Rockland Museum, inaugurated on April 29, 2010, is located in the former École La Ste-Famille at 687, Laurier Street, Rockland, Ontario.
Ste-Famille School
In 1909, Sainte-Famille School opened its doors. This two-story school had four classrooms and welcomed all the children of Rockland East. Brigitte Séguin, one of the pioneers of education in Rockland, was the principal at the time. She was assisted in her work by her sister Georgianna, Joseph Aspeck, Alma Marier and Irène Deshaîtres who taught the students in French and English.
Previously, the Académie du Sacré-Cœur, established in 1896, was no longer able to keep up with the demand. It was a little too far from the eastern part of the city, so the school authorities agreed to build the Sainte-Famille School on Laurier Street.
In 1968, Sainte-Famille School closed its doors to the population of Rockland East. After a metamorphosis, the establishment was reborn in 1973 to become the Centre culturel Sainte-Famille and continues its educational vocation in another form until 2010. Over a period of more than 36 years, the Cultural Centre offers courses in pottery, silk-screening, photography, music, drawing, theatre and even carpentry. From 1982 to 2010, its "Découvertes" artist development program encourages a good number of artists to pursue a career in the arts.
Since 1995, the Rockland United Soccer Club has been using two rooms on the second floor. This club has several hundred young soccer players from Clarence-Rockland. The Clarence-Rockland Museum, inaugurated on April 29, 2010, occupies the rest of the building and is also considered a research centre for students at the elementary, secondary, college and even university levels.
