Public school trustees back plan to close 2 schools, build a new one for Sir John A Macdonald site

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board has decided to close two central city elementary schools and replace them with a new school on the site of the soon-to-close Sir John A. Macdonald high school.

Trustees passed the motion Monday that would close both Hess Street and Strathcona schools, with those students heading to a new kindergarten to Grade 8 school at the Sir John A. York Road location.

The board hopes to use the site to help create a new community hub and is looking for partners to help fulfil that vision for the site. The plan it voted on is contingent on finding partners for that idea and provincial support.

"Hamilton deserves a vision for education that stretches for decades into the future – a plan made in the interests of healthy schools and communities," said Board Chair Todd White in a press release. 

The motion is the latest chapter in the West Hamilton Accommodation Review, that looked at Bennetto, Cathy Wever, Central, Dr. Davey, Earl Kitchener, Hess Street, Queen Victoria, Ryerson and Strathcona elementary schools.

The motion was brought by ward one and two trustee, Christine Bingham.

"We're trilled to be able to take this jewel that's in the middle of downtown that will benefit as many as we possibly could," said Bingham. 

Anger and confusion

Bingham recognizes there is opposition to the plan. 

"Whenever there's any kind of school closure there's always good, bad, and ugly," said Bingham, who has personal experience with school closings affecting her own children.

She insists that it's about looking ahead into the future benefits. 

"There's a lot of anger at first, there's a lot of confusion, but eventually you work your way through it and it's ok," said Bingham. 

It could be several years until the school is built. 

The first hurdle is filling in the details of the idea. That final proposal is to be brought to the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustees (HWDSB) for approval no later than December 2017. 

From there, the pitch is sent on to the Ministry of Education. Such proposals can be submitted twice a year with the next opportunity early next year. 

Difficult process

NDP Leader, Andrea Horwath, representing Hamilton Centre, has been critical of the idea of closing Hess Street school, which serves a diverse and primarily low-income neighbourhood. She said Tuesday she was relieved the board plan recognizes the need for an elementary school in the neighbourhood. 

 "I'm pleased that they've seen the error of their ways when it comes to the shutting down of Hess Street School. However, we'll see," said Horwath. 

"I understand it's a process that takes some time but the last thing we need is to be shutting down schools that are the lifeblood of communities."

 When it comes to site development, Bingham envisions a community "hub" that would partner various community resources together. 

Bingham says they have a great deal of planning so it's not certain what the potential hub would be composed of, but she cites social planning, housing, and mental health organizations as potential services that would benefit the downtown area. 

Bingham is certain that the elementary school would be built from the ground up and that the existing high school would be torn down. 

Trustees approved the motion with a list of new conditions. 

• Hess and Strathcona close pending Ministry of Education funding for HWDSB's portion of the community hub project.
• All schools remain open failing the creation of a community hub on the SJAM site.
•  Bennetto introduce a French immersion program from grades 1-8, September 2018, commencing with grades 1-3.