Westgate Collegiate & Vocational Institute is a Canadianhigh school in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is one of three secondary schools in the Lakehead Public Schools system, after the closure of Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate & Vocational Institute in June 2018. The south end of the school is two-story with the rest of the school one floor. Surrounded by hallways, in the center of the school lies a courtyard where some spring and fall activities are held. In the late 80's, Westgate underwent a renovation which brought the blue-roofed music wing to the front of the school. Westgate is also in the process of adding a new Cafetorium to the Eastern side of the school, as well as a state of the art fitness and weight training area. As of the 2018-2019 year, Westgate has a student population of approximately 1200 students. The principal is Coral Szyszka and the vice-principals are Meghan Smelow and Dave McCallum. The school teams are called the Westgate Tigers.
History
The ground was broken on February 17, 1959 for a new secondary school in the west end of Fort William, Ontario. After a year and four months the school had been completed. It cost approximately $1,600,000 at the time to build.
Athletics
Westgate is home to an extensive athletics department. Students can compete in cycling, Canadian football, basketball, volleyball, track and field, cross country running, soccer, golf, cross country skiing, tennis, badminton, curling, wrestling, and cheerleading. Westgate's Cycling team has won 10 SSSAA titles in a row. In 2006, Westgate's Senior and Junior Football Teams won the SSSAA championship with the Seniors going to Toronto to compete in the OFSAANorthern Bowl. This was the school's first junior SSSAA football championship in 25 years. In 2007, Westgate's Senior Football team successfully defended their SSSAA title and the team won the Northern Bowl, a first for the school. In the 2011–12 season, Westgate's Junior Football team completed a perfect, undefeated season and won their first SSSAA title in five years. In 2012, Westgate Junior BoysBasketball team also went undefeated throughout the whole season and won their first SSSAA championship since 1992. During the 2007–2008 school year, Westgate's Parkour and Free Running Club was founded by Ethan Gillingham and James Peotto. They won the Thunder Bay Free Running Championship – Amateur division title, and represented the city in Timmins for the Provincial title, where they finished 4th. In the 2008–2009 season, the senior boys basketball team put forth a Hoosiers-esque season and won the city title for the first time in 33 years. The Westgate cross country running team is the two time defending SSSAA champions. In the 2014–2015 season, Westgate's athletic teams secured city championships in the sports of golf, volleyball and curling. Westgate's curlers also won the regional NWOSSA finals and attained silver medals at the OFSAA provincial finals.
