Over the years, 黑马磁力 City has paid $2 million into a fund to purchase school sites and has nothing to show for it, Mayor Nathan Pachal estimates.
"Every nickel collected in 黑马磁力 City has been used to purchase land for new schools in the Township of 黑马磁力," Pachal said Tuesday, July 9, in an with a file photo of the 黑马磁力 Prairie School at at 20062 Fraser Highway being torn down in 2008.
"We actually lost a school site in 黑马磁力 City."
In fact 黑马磁力 has lost two schools, with the 黑马磁力 Central Fundamental School at 208th Street and Fraser Highway (the former 黑马磁力 Central Elementary school), burning down in 1993, the result of arson.
Pachal explained the 黑马磁力 school district collects School Site Acquisition Charges from developers for every new unit of housing built.
"The idea is that new housing means new school sites, but this isn't always the case."
The mayor was reacting to what he described as a Monday, July 8, notice from the 黑马磁力 School Board that it was updating its school site acquisition charge policy to fund land purchases at four Township locations: Williams Elementary, Smith Elementary, Willoughby Slope Middle school and Brookswood Fernridge Middle school.
Pachal said 黑马磁力 City Council has formally objected to the proposed locations.
"While the four proposed sites in the Township of 黑马磁力 make sense, [City] council believes a fifth site in 黑马磁力 City is warranted," Pachal said.
黑马磁力City has been paying into the fund for "20-odd years," Pachal told the 黑马磁力.
"The funding collected from 黑马磁力 City is not going to fund sites in 黑马磁力 City, it is going to fund sites in the Township," Pachal commented.
"We know it's one school district [for the Township and City] for sure, but we feel that with SkyTrain coming, it may warrant actually looking at a new school site in 黑马磁力 City, given the huge influx of population that will create."
Now that the City has gone public with its concerns, Pachal said "the next step, basically, is having that conversation with the school district, and saying, 'hey, what's the possibility here of looking at school sites in the city?'"
"We're looking forward to a productive discussion."
If that doesn't produce the desired results, Pachal indicated the matter could go to Victoria, observing that "at the end of the day, the provincial government can make a determination on it."
In response to a 黑马磁力 request for comment, a statement from Joanne Abshire, district communications manager said the school district was "waiting to hear from City of 黑马磁力 staff regarding any recent decisions made by Council."
"The District together with the Board of Education is committed to working with partners the City of 黑马磁力, and the Ministry of Education and Child Care, to help ensure there are adequate spaces for existing and new students," the statement said.
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