School Board Considers Long Range Facility Plan
Prince George, B.C. – The Prince George School Board has been presented with a long range facility plan.
Prepared by third-party consultant Cascades Facilities Management Ltd. and presented to the Board at its monthly meeting last night, the plan highlights important matters for the Board to discuss and consider.
Those matters include:
– the full utilization of Duchess Park Secondary School, including relocation of the secondary French Immersion program and the secondary Francophone Education Authority, and changing the school’s catchment area
– the current physical condition of Blackburn, Pineview and Buckhorn elementary schools and their declining enrolment
– possible changes to the catchment areas of Foothills, Heritage and Quinson elementary schools and capacity issues at Foothills and Heritage
– to dispose of sites (land only) and closed schools (land and buildings) that are surplus to the current and future needs of the school district
The plan was presented in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s Five Year Capital Plan Policy.
It also follows public input sessions held in support of developing a strategic plan for the school district this spring.
“The strategic plan and the long range facility plan are both documents that the Board will have to consider as it discusses the necessary changes to financially sustain the school district,” says Board chair Tony Cable. “No changes have been made. We will begin that work, including consultation with our education partners and the community, in the fall.”
During budget discussions this year the district used surplus funds to balance its budget, a practice the Board agreed is not sustainable (see previous story here).
You can access the long range facility plan report by clicking here.
Comments
What is the assessed value of those properties are vacant? Can the funds of the sales of these properties be used to enhance the facilities of the schools with favourable projections? Just a thought.
I bet the district building on 16 west would go for a nice price. I had thought they were going to move from that location into John Mac school a few years ago, but may be wrong.
“to dispose of sites (land only) and closed schools (land and buildings) that are surplus to the current and “future” needs of the school district.”
When you see this in a School District’s long range facility plan, you know they are planning for long term economic stagnation in the district. So when Krusty Clark and her entourage fly up here, and she starts spreading her Prince George is on the verge of an “economic boom” crap, reminder her that our school district is selling land and schools because they are surplus to the current and FUTURE needs of the school district!
What a blowhard. Just stop and take some time to make some sense, instead of just posting your whining drivel as fast as you read it elsewhere.
I’m not clear on how Duchess will be better utilized by moving French Immersion. I do know that French Immersion is growing in popularity, and that Duchess is at or near capacity. How is that not fully utilizing that space? Genuinely curious, if someone can answer that.
Relocating the French Immersion program is also curious. It will thrive anywhere, though probably best in a central location, which Duchess is. Unless the District plans an Immersion-only high school (which I think is a bad idea), these issues will come up no matter where the program goes.
Disposing of surplus just seems like a no-brainer, and should have been done ages ago.
Verballabel, I don’t think there was ever any plan for the District offices to move. It was *suggested,* but never considered.
I think anyone who lives in an area where a school has been closed, and there have been more than twenty (20) of them closed in this school district, should be reminded of the Haldi Road School fiasco.
According to it’s long range facility plan, our school district will be selling more of it’s vacant schools, the question is; who will they be selling those closed schools to, and will the proposed use of these mothballed schools be compatiable with residential living in those neighbourhoods?
IMO, the school district and the city should be meeting with neighbourhood residents where schools are closed, and are set to be sold. Have one or two residents, who would represent the interests of the neighbourhood, sit on a committee that reviews the sale and potential use of those schools.
Anyone from the School Board, or City Council, paying attention? You need to get “social license” from those neighbourhoods, because if you don’t… there will be hell to pay!
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