Residents urged to voice concerns Aging high school needs overhaul, board told More than 50 residents stressed to Halton District School Board officials that Georgetown District High School is badly in need of renovations that will become more critical if a proposed capital plan goes into effect. The residents let their views be known at a board public meeting on the five-year capital plan, at GDHS Thursday night. The plan calls for a 2007 addition onto GDHS to accommodate 150 more students, the cancellation of the proposed Georgetown South high school, renovations to the old Howard Wrigglesworth, now Gary Allan High School beside GDHS, and the potential opening of two Georgetown South elementary schools in 2007 and 2010 (see sidebar below). Parent comments and suggestions included closing Georgetown high school and building the new high school instead, loss of students to the newer Christ the King Catholic high school, return of the students if GDHS is upgraded or a new school is built, the constantly changing enrolment projections, financial pros and cons of renovating a century-old GDHS compared to building a new school, the number of portables currently on school sites, and the possibility of leasing of a developer-built school. Councillor rebuked in bid to `congratulate' Bloc Québécois Strong language was used in Halton Hills council chambers in response to a councillor's request to offer congratulations to the Bloc Quécois party for its showing in the recent federal election. "Hell will freeze over before I would write the Bloc Québécois congratulating on their endeavours which might split up the country," said Mayor Rick Bonnette. Ward 3 Councillor Mike Davis had made the suggestion to make the overture to the Quebec separatist party when commenting on a staff report outlining the three major party (Conservative, Liberal and NDP) platforms on municipalities. The staff resolution called on council to offer congratulations `I cannot to these parsupport a ties and to party that I ask for consideration of regularly municipal refer to as issues. Davis said `that a as it is a bunch of MIKE minority O'LEARY traitors'.' government, the BQ could hold swing power within the House of Commons, and the Town should offer a victory handshake to that party as well. He added in fairness, the Town should also offer its congratulations to the one Independent candidate elected. But the suggestion incensed many councillors around the table. "The Bloc Québécois has already stated that they're in Parliament to do things that can only positively affect the people of Quebec. The last time I looked we live in Ontario," said Acton councillor Mike O'Leary. "I cannot support a party that I regularly refer to as `that a bunch of traitors'." Rural councillor Joan Robson, who had lived in Quebec for more than 20 years, said the separatists have torn families apart including her own. "There is no way I would be congratulating them on anything." "I don't think you can count on them for any solid support on anything that would benefit anyone else," said Acton councillor Jon Hurst. A chastised Davis withdrew his amendment to motion. --By Cynthia Gamble, staff writer For advertising information call your advertising sales representative Ph: (905) 873.0301 Fax: (905) 873.0398 280 Guelph Street, Georgetown Changes in store for students Changes in the proposed capital plan that will affect Georgetown students: · Cancelled-- the Georgetown South high school, planned for 800 students to be built beside the Gellert Community Centre, in 2016. Projected enrolments show that by 2016 there will be just over 1,000 students attending GDHS and only about 500 slated for the new high school, said Elaine Westerhof, the board's manager of planning. Westerhof added the numbers take into consideration the number of students, now attending the new Christ the King school, who would return to the public board system if a new high school was built. The site will continue in the developer's control. The GDHS school council requested HDSB retain interest in the land to avoid its possible acquisition by the Catholic board. · Added-- GDHS will receive an addition in 2007 to serve 150 students. GDHS's current capacity is listed at 1,452 students. It currently has 1,436 and that is projected to grow to 1,615 by 2010. ·Delayed-- Georgetown South elementary school, for 650 Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 students, in Gerry Cullen, superintendent of facilities services for the Halton District School Board, addresses the audience at Thursday's meeting held to outline the board's five-year capital plan. Photo by Sabrina Byrnes Nancy Deligiannis, vice-chair of community and our students the Georgetown High School school deserve equal access to the same council, read a statement to applaud- range of programs as our more foring parents, asking for renovations tunate neighbours to the south-- in to the whole school. their own neighbourhood right here "We have had numerous con- in GDHS. cerns over very many years about "The bottom line is this school updating our school facility. We needs a major renovation," stated have major plumbing issues--it Deligiannis, "even if the new school needs a major overhaul. We have is built in the future. By the time the classrooms that are crumbling... new school is built, this school classrooms too small for class sizes... (GDHS) would be beyond repair." and outside repairs are needed," The school council said an addiDeligiannis said. tion to GDHS is not good enough; a "Halton Hills is a rapidly growing full renovation is essential. The Ministry of Education pays for new schools, cautioned Gerry Cullen, superintendent of facilities services. Mountainview Rd. West area to 2010. "Without some indication of what "But this is an annual review and we'll funding is going to be available, the continue to look at numbers, so we can last thing we want is to get people go back and revisit that," she said. excited as to what may or may not · Unchanged-- Georgetown South happen." elementary school for 550 Junior Cullen urged all residents to comKindergarten to Grade 8 students on a ment. This plan, he said, is a starting Mountainview East site. Opening point, and "creativity should not be planned for September 2007, but a limited to the plan". final decision must be made this June. "This plan is no more than a plan ·Boundaries redrawn-- Students moving into the subdivision, north of at this point," he said. "We can't Miller Dr., now under construction even afford to do what's on this will not go to Silver Creek School, but plan. Until we see the final details on will be sent to Pineview for K-5 and the financing (from the province), we have no idea what we can afford Stewarttown for Grade 6-8. Students in Georgetown South now to do or can't do." Public comments should be ebeing sent to Harrison and Centennial mailed to westerhofe@hdsb.ca or call will attend the new school opening in the school board's planning office, 2007. If the third Georgetown South ele- 905-842-3014, before March 9. The mentary school opens in 2010, a por- comments will be analyzed and tion of the students currently directed included the next report presented to Silver Creek, would be redirected to the public in April. The Halton Hills meeting is scheduled for there. ·Here to stay-- the old Howard Thursday, April 20, 7-9 p.m. at Wrigglesworth School, now home to Georgetown District High School. A final report is expected to prethe Province's Early Child Years Centre and the board's own Gary sented to school trustees for a deciAllan High School GAHS (an alterna- sion in June. Background documents tive high school), will be renovated in and reports are being posted on the 2007 to accommodate the GAHS per- school board's website, www.hdsb.ca manently. No details yet. --By Cynthia Gamble, staff writer