News Detail
Marion Hall
What better way for a community to gather and share an experience than through the ritual of breaking bread. Marion MacMillan Hawley believed so firmly in the power of this practice that she gifted Shawnigan with a building that would promote exactly that: a shared community experience.
To inform the architecture of this building, a number of visits were made to the ancient halls of England, including the dining rooms of Oxford and Cambridge. The synthesis of these visits led to the design of the cruciform footprint. The width of each axis is 52 feet totalling 18,000 square feet. The height of the main roof is 37 feet, supported by arched wooden trusses rising from concrete pillars. Large windows and an expansive fireplace – with a firebox measuring six feet high, eight feet wide and five feet deep; hearth spanning 18 feet; and mantle, 16.5 feet – contribute to the grandeur of the place. Hanging above each designated House section are the corresponding House emblems, with which students and staff quickly identify as their nuclear community within the larger community to which they belong. Upon entering Marion Hall, many have commented that it feels like entering Harry Potter’s world – so magical is the feeling of this space.
The opening ceremony for Marion Hall occurred on June 15, 2002 – Marion Hawley’s 90th birthday. Speeches were given by the Head of Westminster School – C. W. Lonsdale’s alma mater – and Marion’s son, Mr. John Lecky '57 (Groves’). Marion also spoke, reiterating her vision for Marion Hall as a gathering place for students and staff to dine together in the name of building community. She then unveiled the plaque on which she is quoted saying: “Speak amicably, eat courteously, show good manners at these tables and you will secure friendships to the end of your days.”
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
The opening ceremony for Marion Hall occurred on June 15, 2002 – Marion Hawley’s 90th birthday. Speeches were given by the Head of Westminster School – C. W. Lonsdale’s alma mater – and Marion’s son, Mr. John Lecky '57 (Groves’). Marion also spoke, reiterating her vision for Marion Hall as a gathering place for students and staff to dine together in the name of building community. She then unveiled the plaque on which she is quoted saying: “Speak amicably, eat courteously, show good manners at these tables and you will secure friendships to the end of your days.”
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
