By Doug Draper
It was once one of the grand old high schools in Niagara, Ontario.
File photo of an already boarded up Welland High School, taken by Doug Draper
Welland High School, closed in 1989 after more than 100 years of serving as a beacon for secondary education in this region, was already suffering a sad death when I was given one more chance to walk the same corridors I walked more than 40 years ago as a Grade 9 student there.
The interior of this place, where my mother and so many generations of young people in central Niagara went to school, had already been cannibalized for any lights, clocks and other fixtures. Trash was strewn across the floor and there were empty beer cans piled in corners where vandals had broke in at night for a party. There were even Nazi swastikas spray painted on walls where plaques remembering students who sacrificed their lives in World Wars One and Two once hung.
Now the school, as of early this June 18, has been gutted in flames. Sometime in the wee, small hours of the morning, what was left of Welland High was consumed in something equivalent to a Viking funeral. The blaze was apparently so big and hot that nearby homes had to be evaquated and firefighters had to rush in from neighbouring municipalities to help put it out.
Hopefully, no one was injured or killed in this fire that was likely started by an intruder. And hopefully, the last of the wooden flooring in the gyms and nice old fixtures in the school’s auditorium/theatre were removed for use elsewhere before the flames did their work.
I felt like I said goodbye to Welland High two years ago when I took that sad tour and imagined all the ghost-like images of my old friends and classmates walking down the halls. Now I say it again – Goodbye Welland High. Rest in peace.
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Niagara At Large 
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There is a segment of Welland society that always seems to hate itself and its hometown’s history, assuming the Welland High fire was indeed an act of vandalism. Many of us recall that the old railway station and the swing bridge met similar fates. What economic decline hasn’t destroyed the thugs get. If you can’t remember the past, you will never learn from it.
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Your Comment: heres an idea i was a student of welland high school. i was thinking they should rip the whole school down and put in a corner garden on dennis town and main street with a memorial stone saying something like (this was the site of welland high vocational school 1935-2011 just a (example) and have a discription of the school…
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Large empty buildings become hazards, as we know. Yet another problem with box stores is that they too become vacant. Check out the Canadian Tire store on Niagara St. Welland; it’s been empty for ages, and it’s a blight, bad for environment etc., yet they opened a new Can tire box store down the road.
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Hi there my name is Rhonda Sernick I went there back in 1980 1981 until 1984 my mother sandra sernick graduated back in 1985 1986 I believe in adult studies after she came back to get her diploma. I remeber all the great teachers and not so great. But the best teacher that stood out and taught off my family generation was mr. diyka a math teach. he taught my mother and I was the last student he taught then retired. Loved all the murals students put there hard work and alot of efforts. my legs dont thank the school of whvs for 3.5 stories climbing day and day out 5 days a week. Loved that school and I cannot beleive that stupid kids and young adults set her on fire I believe many people feel they lost a great freind even though its a school with alot of memories,injuries, first kisses, crushes. office staff also were great and friendly. I remember 1st day starting grade nine where my good friend Anna Nero was standing on the front steps waiting for me to arrive from being on a school bus coming from Port Robinson Ontario. wish I could have walked down the halls for the last time but those bad people took it all away from all of us who attended or families that attended with memories that people cannot take away from us. will rlemeber everyone and always looking up history and also attended the school reunion the 1 year at memeorial park in Welland Ontario. met alot of nice people not from my generation but very interesting to hear there stories.
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way to go Rhonda luv mom
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