The article doesnt mention the number of students that will attend this school. Is it still only a handful??/ I presume a number of them are bussed to Giscome from Sinclair Mills, Penny, and Longworth BC, which is a long way to bus.

Announcement before the next election, and completion date, after the next election, what a coincidence.

Busing students should not be an issue. Case in point, students in Boston Bar, B.C. hop on a bus from Boston Bar to Hope to attend Hope Senior Secondary, that’s 38 miles one way and a 1 hour bus ride in ideal conditions through the Fraser Canyon (again that’s just one way). Seriously the kids up here can’t handle a daily bus ride? Does anyone know how and what these “portables” will be constructed out of? The older portables were built with man made materials, synthetics and melamine. These things stunk when they were first built, off gassing heavens knows what VOC’s into the air in the room. What’s the bill for these new “portables” per unit, who cares that they will have a 40 year life span. It amazes the mind to think that one year they need these facilities and a few years down the road they will be shut down and sold off just like the schools in the area. I think there should be two options only in this matter, Build or Bus, but don’t piss around with half measures of building useless “portables”.

It’s a patch work solution to what is going to be an expensive venture, that could be better served by either building a new school or filling a bus.

Professional,some of these kids already have come a long way to Giscome from Sinclair Mills, Penny, and Longworth. These are modular and could be moved again if need be.

I would have to agree with Palopu’s point… where are the attendance figures? Rural populations have been declining as people choose to move to more populated areas. Is this a sustainable solution? Methinks not.

While I’m happy for the kids and parents, why did it take so long for even this temporary solution. Seems like nothing more than electioneering to me.

I understand the “portability or modular” design concept, but “education” is a commitment to the community. What message are we giving to the children and sending to the families by doing things in a half hearted manner? If there is a need for a school then build a school not a portable room. Anyone who has spent any time in these modular or portable class rooms knows all too well what they are like, frankly, they suck! Drafty, too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer and face it it’s only a stop gap solution.

The rural areas are going to become populated again, it comes in waves, always does. Then there will be a need for an actual school again not a collection of “modular buildings”. Cutting corners, skip the modular rooms, build a school or bus them to an actual school. The school is a building block of a community, without a school, it’s just a residential rural area, nothing more nothing less. Some how I think the parents that may read this post would agree that having an actual school is much better than a collection of random modular buildings.

Schools support the community by being used for more than just education, they are a meeting space for community groups, those wishing to involve the community in local events at the school. It’s much more than a building, but I digress….. Some will “get it” and the majority “wont”.

Well heck if we can build a $30 million dollar gym at the university, for 500 patrons, Im sure they could have build some nice realestate for the new school in Giscome. Just saying.

This is good news for sure….rural communities need amenities to attract new people into the area. Having a full time school, even if it’s in modular buildings is better than no school at all.

“rural communities need amenities to attract new people into the area” .. didn’t you know it’s the govt mandate to entice (coerce) people into relocating to a city environment. They are easier to control and keep tabs on that way. Can’t have people spread out all over the place you know.

So how many years for the population wave.
These classrooms seem quite the improvement over the old portables. You should check out the basement caves at CHSS.
What about the students who have already traveled a long distance just to get to Giscome.

Just drove from Prince George to Penny and back the other day. There is not a hell of a lot going on in that part of the Country.

I suspect that it would be much cheaper to build a bridge across the Fraser River at Penny and fix the highway (road) from Longworth to Penny. Then these people could be bussed to McBride, and the Giscome people bussed to Prince George.

Problem is there are hardly any people in that part of the Country. Years ago they closed the school in Penny because they did not have the minimum (9) students to attend.

At some point people in remote rural areas need to think about how costly it is to deliver services.

Posted by: JohnnyBelt “Rural populations have been declining as people choose to move to more populated areas”
Got any data to support that assertion JB?
I see people moving out to the country all the time. Real estate goes on the market, then it sells. A lot of people think that rural living offers a superior lifestyle, and I think they are right. I am one of them. There are trade offs going both ways.

Posted by: Professional ” Drafty, too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer and face it it’s only a stop gap solution”
How can you compare the portables from 30 to 50 years ago with ones that will be built in 2013?
I would assume that new portables would be built to current standards for heating, insulation, and lighting, and I’m a cynic!

The case has been made as to why it is better for the children to not have to endure long bus rides twice a day.
The timing of the announcement is suspect. Apparently it takes over three years to make a decision, and if next years’ succeeding provincial government does not want to honour the so called committments of the previous politicians, then there will be a further delay.
metalman.

With computers and technology, schools should not be a problem for remote areas. If the parents are willing to be involved with their kids education, they will learn. Try to remember that IT IS THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY to educate their kids — the government supplies the cirriculum, the physical space and the teacher. New technology dictates that the physical building is not really required. The problem now is that society has lost the skills to educate their children — they’re too self centered; busy with careers,the love of money,and It is evident by the increased drug use in adolecent society. I know too many people who have abandoned their kids and left them to grow up by themselves. They become “homeless” and we pay instead of the people who conceived them.

Metalman: “Posted by: JohnnyBelt “Rural populations have been declining as people choose to move to more populated areas”
Got any data to support that assertion JB?”

Yeah, statscan.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/demo62a-eng.htm

The two columns on the right tell the tale. % of Canada’s population living in rural and urban environments from 1851 to 2006. Currently, it’s 80% urban and 20% rural. The trend has been going one way since 1851.

As Palopu says, rural populations need a bit of a dose of reality in terms of the cost of delivering services to fewer people.

REALLY? Why have schools in Prince George then? Don’t you realize how expensive it is?? They should just send all PG kids on a 55 minute plane ride to Richmond each day and sell all the SD 57 admin and school buildings…or PG parents could just home school using your high speed Internet connections!! Haven’t you noticed there are fewer students in PG and you might have to understand the reality of the costs involved in having a school district on its own with a declining student population.

Jim, no need for all the drama. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but schools have been closed in town and consolidated in PG because of declining student enrollment.

Sure I noticed, the same thing has happened in many rural communities….instead of being satisfied that at least one area is going to have a school all these NIMBYs want to shut them down using the same weak arguments. What’s good for the goose is also good for the gander you know. It’s only 55 minutes to Richmond. :-)

Jim: “instead of being satisfied that at least one area is going to have a school all these NIMBYs want to shut them down using the same weak arguments.”

I don’t see it as a ‘NIMBY’ issue as much as I see it as a ‘declining number of students’ issue. But to each their own.

This is fantastic development, with the future installation of sewer and water in Willow River in the coming years will only make the area grow.
Good on the east line to see some positive growth. The future of new area is now on track, and looking very much promising , maybe you will be moving here soon. If so we welcome you. This was a long process and many people made this possible, you who you are stand up and take a bow for your time well invested.

BTW: This is not just a school it’s a community center with part of the funds raised by people in the area over the years.