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A4 - The Canadman Champion, Fniday, Juiy 29, 2005 TrUustees await details o ew funding criteria-- By JASON MISNER Special ta Thie Champion Halton District School Board trustees are hoping for good things when the Ontario Ministry of Education sodo releases details about new school funding criteria. Ministry spokesperson Linda Nicolson said the Province is aware of I-lton's building dilemma, and noted that the release of guidelines stipulating hosv new school construction is to occur is on the horizon. But exacîly how sous bas yei to he determnined. -There are capital planning guidelines that are due to bc released very s005.' she said. "'The board lias heen very good to send us a lot of information about flhe situ- ation and staff are rcviessing that informa- tion now, and hope to be able to talk lu the board about it very soon. While there is a process in place, xve do realize Halton has a specifie urgent situation that sve are coine to help theni deal ssith.- Trustees and board stafhave been aux- iously awaiting word froin the Province for months about how they will be able to con- stniet new sehools. What bas theru feeling nervous is the fact it takes about a year 10 have a sehool desigsed, built and open. That's why they are crossing their tingers construction guidelines will be released soon. Building new sehools for the public board bas bees a critical issue for some tume, given the student population bas grown by more than 1l per cent since 2001. There are pockets in the region where housing growth is exploding and bringing with it kids who need a sehool. particularly in Milton and Georgetown. Burlington Trustee Janie Hames said if's encouraging to hear the ministry is appar- ently ready to soon release construction details. The board, she said, needs to know right away how lu proeeed with building new schools, especially since accommodation plans cati for the board to build and open four new schools -one each in the four regional municipalities of Burlington. flakville, Halton HuIs and Milton by September 20106. The total costi s expected to he around $28 million. Ms Hames doesn't think the ministiy svill baud over a bulk amount oft money tu be used by the board to huild svhatever num- hcr of schosîls they can. -Obviously we've been asking and svaiî- iîîg (for direction) and desperately need lu build these schools." Ms Haines said. "For the sake of these communities sve need to build. It's going to be înîeresting for sure to see how they are goiîîg lu tuîîd it. "The sooner ive hear. the hetter." But Ms I-ames said the ministry should have been prepared to release details about ses'. school construction shortly aller il announced major changes lu the controver- sial funding formnula in Februaiy. Those changes included scrapping the reqoîre- ment. instituted by the previous Conservative goverument, that underuti- Iized sehools be closed to free up money for more pupil spaces. "Ils been frustrating and disappointing (bo wait)," she said. fC1areke'%Gl WWW. CIa rkeswhOg olf.Co M 1. 18 ThmIRUi I Milton Transit * wwwmiftlica Civic Holiday Transit Notice Please note that there wii b. no Milton Transit SchedUed services witt resumne on: lb.sdy, AugUst 2, 2005 Phone: 906-815-20 (Informfationl Une for Oakvlbe Transit, which is prvii Milton Transit Setvic) Are you connected to your community? Get ail the news fetet MiKon. Oaksile, Bur5egton and suronding areas quiddy and coeieet1y etiline ansd n your sàinduW. www.habonsearch.coni 24/ 7