About 100 people turned out in Owen Sound Thursday night for the Bluewater School Board's first Accommodation Review Committee meeting to review alternatives for the Owen Sound group of schools.
It began with board staff explaining the financial realities. Overall board enrolment is at 70 per cent of capacity. That's 7,000 empty spaces and is costing the board millions of dollars.
The board's proposal is that three area schools -- Bayview, Dufferin and Derby -- close at the end of the current school year with the children spread around other schools in the area.
Most people seem to understand the money problems.
Michael Stoneleigh has two kids at Sydenham School and is a member of the Accommodation Review Committee.
"Definitely food for thought and that's what we're here for I guess is to try and put some other ideas in and if that's what we're gonna do is close some schools we definitely do need to make it easier for the kids to transition," says Stoneleigh in an interview after the meeting.
Some parents believe the process is all happening too fast.
Jamie Walpole has a child at Bayview School. He'd like to see the closures postponed a year.
"The financial situation is what it is and we all understand that but we care about what happens to the kids and the kids need to be prepared for this. These children shouldn't pay the price for us rushing this process and trying to get it done in a matter of months," says Walpole.
The meeting starts the Bluewater board's accommodation review public consultation process. A second public meeting is set for February 11.
Board trustees are to make the final decisions in April.
