The Legacy of Allan and Kathleen Huckabone at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus

Posted on Monday, June 14th, 2021

Allan Huckabone had charisma. He could hold court in any room he entered and on November 24, 2009 he had the audience’s attention at a dinner held at the former Algonquin College Pembroke Campus. He and his wife, Kathleen, were among a group of college supporters who were interested in the effort being made to build a new campus, but very few in the crowd knew that they were about to make a jaw dropping announcement.

The campus was just down the street from where Allan Huckabone had grown up. He knew the building’s history as a former dairy and understood it was aging and had its limitations in meeting the expectations of college students. His very close friend, Fred Blackstein, was on the College Board of Governors and a year earlier had brought forward a motion that was unanimously approved to build a Waterfront Campus along the shores of the Ottawa River. Blackstein also threw his support behind the fundraising campaign, letting his name stand as Honorary Chair, helping share the story of how important the project was to the region.

The Huckabones wanted to help. Their son, Mark Huckabone, had been recruited to chair the fundraising effort, a campaign to raise $2.5 million towards the overall project cost of $36-million. The Pembroke Campus had never gone to the community before to raise money and with no history of fundraising a strong case needed to be made to bring donors on board.

The case was solid. The building the school had been operating in since the 1960’s was aging and landlocked with no room for expansion. It lacked the modern amenities that post-secondary schools offered students such as a gymnasium and fitness centre. The College had secured land from the city to build a new campus with the promise of helping to revitalize Pembroke’s downtown and ultimately a modern facility would attract more local and out of town students, helping support the local labour market and driving further economic spinoffs for the entire region.

Kathleen and Allan Huckabone believed in the project. When they stood behind a podium at the old campus and announced they had donated a half-a-million dollars to the campaign they gave the fundraising campaign the boost it needed. As Kathleen told the audience, “We hope this donation will spark a flame to go through this room to all of the Valley,” to encourage more support for this worthwhile project.

It sure did. Other donations followed. Businesses, individuals, families and organizations followed the Huckabones lead and committed to helping the College reach its fundraising target. The project had momentum.

When sod was turned in the spring of 2011, the Huckabones were there. When the grand opening was held on November 28, 2012, they were there too, beaming as they posed near the campus library, which had been named after them.

 

Allan Huckabone passed away a few days ago at Miramichi Lodge where he had lived the final years of his life. Kathleen Huckabone had died in 2015. Together, they left a legacy. Known for their philanthropic generosity, they supported many community projects, but their gift to Algonquin College will forever be remembered because of its significance.

At the time the Huckabones made their donation public, Algonquin College was also raising funds for new buildings in Ottawa and Perth. College President, Robert Gillett, said of the Huckabone contribution, “This is the largest single donation by a family of all of the gifts we have received so far.”

The donor wall at the campus carries a quote from Mark Huckabone that reads, “For every enthusiastic student who attends this College campus, there was an enthusiastic donor who made it possible.” Allan and Kathleen Huckabone drove that enthusiasm by making one of the largest philanthropic gifts in Ottawa Valley history.

The Kathleen and F. Allan Huckabone library is one of the centrepieces of the waterfront campus. The only time the couple visited the library was on the day the community celebrated the grand opening of the campus. That was enough to show them that their gift had made a difference.

The entire college community expresses its sincere sympathy to the Huckabone family at this difficult time and continues to be thankful for the important role Allan and Kathleen Huckabone played in securing a new Algonquin College campus for Pembroke.

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs)


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