In 1964, Trent University was established in downtown Peterborough. With the donation of 150 acres of land from Canadian General Electric, the focus of the University’s expansion turned north to the former community of Nassau Mills on the Otonabee River. Ron Thom, the University’s master planning architect, developed a campus plan that recommended the construction of a dozen university colleges, a library, and science complex.
The first college to be built was seen as the flagship of the new campus. Traditionally, new university colleges were named after religious figures, affluent donors, or royalty. However, the Trent University naming committee took a much different tact. It recommended Samuel de Champlain for several reasons. Naming the new College after the French explorer offered an inherent sense of tradition to the brand-new structure and the spirit of discovery was seen as an important trait for young students. Furthermore, the 1960s was a time of great tensions between French and English Canadians. A new university, in the heart of English Canada, choosing a renowned French explorer was hoped to be a symbolic act of reconciliation and an affirmation of the importance of good relations between French and English Canadians. To that end, on October 20, 1965 the premiers of Ontario and Quebec joined together in an unprecedented ceremony to unveil the cornerstone of the College.