Owen Sound's city manager says the education minister has put off a meeting with city council that was suppose to discuss the Bluewater District School Board's plans, following an Accommodation Review.
Wayne Ritchie says Minister of Education Liz Sandals has deferred the meeting to the Association of Municipalities Ontario Conference. The conference is set to take place in Windsor from August 14 to 17 -- just three weeks before the new school year starts.
Owen Sound City Council first wrote to Minister Sandals in October of 2015 asking her to intervene with the review process, but the appeal was refused. Mayor Ian Boddy continued to request the meeting with letters sent April 29 and May 27.
A legal opinion sought by the city found that they had no legal jurisdiction and no grounds to appeal.
And now the minister’s delayed meeting is further exhausting all appropriate avenues the city can explore.
The school board has decided to close OSCVI and have all secondary students in the Owen Sound area attend West Hill Secondary this fall. OSCVI will be renovated into an elementary school.
The board plans to close Derby Public School in Kilsyth as of June 30 and re-locate those students to Arran Tara Elementary School, Hillcrest Elementary School and Hepworth Central Public School in September.
In June 2017, Bayview Public School and Sydenham Community School will close - with those students moving to the renovated OSCVI.
Dufferin Elementary School students will also be re-located to Hillcrest Elementary School and Keppel-Sarawak Elementary School in September 2017.
