File 01 34 - Anniversary Report: 2001-2011

Trinity’s Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve acquisition of the Laurentian Club property, located at 252 Metcalfe Street in Ottawa, on April 12th, 2001, and negotiations concluded April 24.

Don Page was appointed founding Director of the Laurentian Leadership program in 2001.
In 2005 Paul Wilson was serving as Executive Director of the LLC, with John Dyck, Professor of Political Studies, serving as LLC Academic Liaison.
On September 26 2006 Provost Dennis Jameson announced the appointment of Janet Epp Buckingham, LLB, LLD, as the new Director of Laurentian Leadership Centre. The Director reported to the Provost's Office. From January to June of 2012 Romalie Murphy took on the position of Interim Director, while Epp Buckingham was involved in another project.
According to an August 21, 2014 intercomm announcement: Over the summer, we have had a couple of staff changes here at the Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa. Janelle Weibelzahl has just returned from teaching English in Japan to take on the Administrative Assistant and Conference Coordinator position, while Christie Esau has moved on to pursue a Master's degree. Tyler Chamberlain has stepped in as Acting Director of the LLC to relieve Dr. Janet Epp-Buckingham, who is on a 6-month sabbatical until the beginning of 2015. Both Tyler and Janelle are alumni of TWU and the LLC program.

The first group of twenty-two Trinity students took up residence at the Laurentian Leadership Centre (LLC) in Ottawa in September 2002.

The Laurentian Leadership Centre Program provides a full semester of credits (15 sem. hrs.) every fall and spring. It is designed to give third and fourth year students as well as alumni experience relevant to a wide variety of careers including international relations, business, communications, history, politics, non-governmental organizations, and public service. All students in this program must complete a supervised internship related to their major and up to three courses. The program operates on the semester system although the dates may vary from Trinity Western’s regular calendar. The cost of the program is comparable to a full academic program while living on campus. The program ... may be laddered towards a bachelor’s degree as a component of a degree, or may be taken as an independent certificate. For students who have already completed a recognized bachelor’s degree, this program may be taken as a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Applied Public Affairs, with advanced study requirements.
Source: 2011/2012 Academic Calendar

The Building:
After J.R. Booth's death in 1925, 252 Metcalfe remained in the Booth family until 1947, when the family sold it to the prestigious Laurentian Club of Ottawa.
Booth House, which was designed by architect John W. H. Watts, was designated a heritage property in 1990.
At a plaque-unveiling ceremony on Monday, October 24 2005, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) honoured the historical significance of the John R. Booth Residence.
On May 27 2009 TWU President Jonathan Raymond unfurled the 100th anniversary flags for the centennial celebration of the John R. Booth residence at the LLC in honour of the 100th anniversary of the Queen Anne Revival house, built for Booth, Ottawa's wealthiest lumber baron.

Historic Note:
On May 9th 2001 I had the privilege of representing TWU at the closing of our purchase of the Laurentian Club Building on Metcalfe Street in Ottawa. This was certainly a time of celebration for TWU. As I locked up the building and walked down the steps I remembered a story from our past where the founders of Trinity Western University stood as they were about to purchase our Langley campus site. One of them suggested that the group remove their shoes because they were standing on “holy ground.” We have “holy ground” in Ottawa. It is so very strategically located. And who knows what future leaders for our nation will emerge as a result of this exciting new venture.
Memorandum from Ron Kuehl, undated. [TWU Archives: F 1 B 15 File 2b]