Matt Chester remembers those glory days.
His grade 11 and 12 years at Port Coquitlam secondary — the same northside school from which Canadian hero Terry Fox graduated — were filled with friends and fun.
Then, Chester was busy in the drama department and took part in shows put on by acting coach Ed Harrington and music instructor James Bryson.
Last summer, while thinking about his upcoming 30th school reunion, Chester drove by his old stomping grounds and the memories flooded back.
The Coquitlam resident had read an article in The Tri-City News about the francophone School District 93 wanting to rebuild the 57-year-old school.
Chester got sentimental and asked staff at École des Pionniers de Maillardville for a quick tour. Nothing had changed except for the signs and the lockers.
Then he got thinking.
Because of the pending construction project, the public wouldn’t have access to the school grounds after June 2016. That would mean if a reunion were to happen in the former PoCo High, it would have to be done in the current academic year.
“It was an easy decision for me,” Chester said. “I have a background in special events and a goodbye party needed to happen. And I was going to make it happen.”
Chester, who owns MJC Productions, bandied around the names of a few local bands who could appeal to several generations — grads from 1958 to present day.
Once he landed on Tom Lavin and the Legendary Powder Blues, who were marking their 38th year with a tour, everything fell into place quickly.
Chester put out a notice via social media and contacted The News. And within four days, all 350 tickets — with a price tag of $50 each — were gone for the private show.
“I didn’t think it would be this big,” Chester said with a laugh during a visit to the old school last week. “We’re still getting requests from all over the world to buy tickets… I could have sold out four or five nights by now.”
Chester said alumni and their spouses will be flocking in for this Saturday’s bash from as far away as Australia, England, Scotland and across North America. Some grads who have made a name for themselves (newscast, sports, etc.) will be in attendance as well as retired teachers such as Mr. Bryson and Mr. Fleming.
Chester, who has been preparing for the event after suffering a “mild” heart attack last month, said all checks are in place: liability insurance, security and first aid.
As well, a small army of 40 people are on board to help set up and take down on the night.
A graduate has also spent many months putting together a memorial wall of 100 or so photos from alumni who have passed on — with Fox’s image taking a prominent spot on the display.
The school’s downstairs area will be open for guests to have a look around before the Powder Blues kick it up at 8 p.m. The band will have two 45-minute sets before wrapping it up at 10 p.m.
But for those grads unable to purchase tickets, an after-party will be held at the nearby Meridian Arms pub, in Port Coquitlam, Chester said.
École staff say they’re happy to accommodate the farewell party but they want to leave their plans out of the big event.
Currently, School District 93 has posters of the new school in the foyer, which show the architect’s renderings for the $24.8-million building to go up along Patricia Avenue (moved from Wellington Street) over the next two years.
Last year, Pascale Cyr, spokesperson for the provincial governing body Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique, told The Tri-City News the rebuild will be funded by B.C.’s ministry of education and constructed to a gold standard under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) model — the highest level for “green” architecture.
“We want people to focus on their last days at Port Coquitlam secondary and to have an enjoyable evening,” École spokesperson Solange Bernier said.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
@jwarrenTC
