The McEwen School of Architecture in downtown Sudbury is a stunning accomplishment for the Sudbury community. The school is rooted in the community, it was created by the community and was paid for by the community.

Laurentian University may be its official home, but Laurentian did not pay for the School. In fact, a community initiative raised more than $45.8 million for the project. It was the community that convinced Laurentian University to adopt the school. And it has been the community that gained most from putting Canada’s newest and most exciting architecture school right in the heart of its fading downtown.