|
b)
|
Councillor Elliott to present the following Motion on March 4, 2013:
District School Board of Niagara's School Closure Recommendations
WHEREAS the District School Board of Niagara senior administration has recommended the closure of Memorial, Maywood and Alexandra public schools and the construction of a new elementary school at 185 Carlton Street with a capacity of 550 students; and
WHEREAS the Central St. Catharines Elementary Schools Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) has recommended closure of Maywood and Alexandra public schools, the renovation and retention of Memorial public school, and the construction of a new elementary school with a capacity of 350 students; and
WHEREAS the ARC process was open to the public and balanced the needs of students, the community and the local economy with the needs of the District School Board of Niagara to eliminate unused pupil spaces; and
WHEREAS Memorial public school is located within the Queen Street Heritage District under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, and the St. Catharines Heritage Committee supports the retention and conservation of the building as part of this district based on its individual heritage significance; and
WHEREAS the Province of Ontario’s Places to Grow Act has designated Downtown St. Catharines as Niagara’s only Urban Growth Centre, a designation intended to focus a high concentration of mixed uses in the municipality including residential and employment growth; and
WHEREAS the location of schools within or in the immediate vicinity of the Urban Growth Area supports the growth initiatives established in the Places to Grow Act and the Garden City Plan; and
WHEREAS the Garden City Plan emphasizes the revitalization of Downtown St. Catharines supported by residential intensification and investments in services and amenities which encourage residential and employment uses, active transportation, walkability, and greening; and
WHEREAS the closure of the existing downtown elementary schools and replacing them with a single school located in the northern most section of the catchment area will negatively impact on strong neighbourhoods and walkability; and
WHEREAS the location of the proposed new school will require additional vehicle Transportation, either by school bus or personal automobile, which will increase pollution and the release of greenhouse gases that are hazardous to human health and contribute to global warming.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that St. Catharines City Council strongly oppose the District School Board of Niagara Senior Administration recommendation to close Memorial, Maywood and Alexandra public schools and build a new elementary school at 185 Carlton Street with a capacity of 550 students;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that St. Catharines City Council support, in principle, the recommendation of the Central St. Catharines Elementary Schools Accommodation Review Committee for the retention of two elementary schools within central St. Catharines, based on consideration of the four pillars of sustainability, Smart Growth principles, accessibility and walkability, and conformity to the intent of the Places to Grow Act and the City’s Official Plan;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and the City’s directors of Planning and Development Services and Economic Development and Customer Service be directed to present the City Council’s position at a meeting of the District School Board of Niagara’s Board of Trustees;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be circulated to Honourable Liz Sandals, Minister of Education; Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of Infrastructure; Honourable Jim Bradley, Minister of the Environment and St. Catharines MPP; and the Trustees of the District School Board of Niagara.
|
