New group formed for Guelph's French-speaking community

A new group is being formed for Guelph's French-speaking community.

Temporarily called Réseau-Franco, or French Connection, the group was scheduled to hold its inaugural get together at Miijidaa restaurant on Monday, May 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

"We have a reasonably large Francophone community in Guelph, yet we're one of the only communities in the surrounding area that doesn't have an association," said Dominique O'Rourke, the driving force behind the group.

She, said there used to be one in the Royal City but it died off.

“There are Francophone associations in Kitchener, Cambridge, Hamilton and Georgetown, but not here in Guelph,” said O'Rourke.

Between the university, government jobs, large corporations there are many French-speaking citizens and O'Rourke said the first task is to find out who and what is out there.

"What we want to try and do is try and get our arms around 'who are these people and how can we know what events and services there are in the community and how can we foster that culture?'"

O'Rourke said much of Guelph's French-speaking community is bonded by its two French-speaking elementary schools -   St. René Goupil and L'Odyssée, which total roughly 400 students.

Once students leave those schools to enter French immersion in city high schools or to attend French-speaking high schools in Cambridge or Hamilton, the bonds are often lost.

She said Guelph has a large French-speaking community and bringing them together will have a variety of benefits, from social to helping connect on a business level.

"There are some things that are in place, and one of the goals is how do we know and promote it, and how do we expand and offer new things, particularly for adults," O'Rourke said.

"It's too early to tell what it is. It will definitely be a social group, a cultural group, it could be an advocacy group or it could be a way to create employment for young bilingual people ... who knows?" she said.

"We're just at that exciting place of being able to get to know one another, dream a little and determine where we want to be in five years or 10 years."

O'Rourke said she is hesitant to say exactly what the group will focus on until the group itself decides. Even the name is temporary for now, she said.

"It's high time we had an association," she said. "I just know we need one."

Following Monday night's casual get together, more formal discussions will be planned.

More information can be found at the group's Facebook page or by emailing O'Rourke at [email protected].