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Residents asked for views on new school option. Cullen said he could provide the public with if the board doesn't have "a green light very, very further details. soon" Cullen said, they couldn't contemplate a GDHS principal Ron Maruya asked for supschool opening there in 2007, delaying it until port from the community for the renovations at 2008. the school and provided his wish list for what he The board's site on the west side of would like to see included. Mountainview Rd. (on Danby Rd.) is serviced A separate complex built near the old and ready to go so a school could be built and Wrigglesworth School to house the school's arts open there for September 2007. But area, which would include a theatre, Cullen said a school there would be was on his list. much closer to the existing Silver Creek He said the rooms used by the arts School and would result in an imbalprogram in GDHS' current building ance of schools in the community with could then be converted into other the school's population being scattered classrooms. in several different locations. Members of the school's council are The board wants to hear from the to present information on what they public on which option they prefer-- a think is needed at the school at a delayed school on the east side of board meeting this week. Mountainview Rd. or the west side Halton Hills Trustee Ethel Gardiner school that could open in 2007. asked at the meeting about a portapak A woman at the meeting asked if (a group of portables linked to the ETHEL the board went ahead with the west school through a hallway) for Silver GARDINER school could that delay the building of Creek School. She wanted to know the east-side school? when the last date to begin initiating "Potentially," said Cullen. "The worst case sce- that process was so they could be ready for this nario is if we only get one of those two schools." September. He also said currently the board doesn't know "Because even with a second school...it does how much funding they will get to build any new not ease those numbers and pressures and safety schools, but they don't think it will be generous. concerns we have at Silver Creek," said Gardiner. Details about the proposed 2007 renovation "I don't believe a portapak can be put in place for Georgetown District High School were not for this September starting from now," said provided at the meeting because the timeline for Cullen. that project is not as urgent as some other items She requested then to look at having it done in the plan, explained Elaine Westerhof, the for January. board's manager of planning. She said board staff Cullen said it would have to be determined if the needs to determine what specialty space is needed numbers of students at the school and the length of at the school by January 2007. time portables are required justify a portapak, Cullen did provide, however, an upper limit which costs more than portables. On Monday he price tag for the work at the high school. said the second school situation in Georgetown "It's probably a $10 million dance, anything South also ties into the portapak issue. beyond that probably won't fly," said Cullen. Westerhof said, as a result of a request from He said it would take approximately 10 the last capital plan meeting in Georgetown, the months to design the renovation, and a minimum second version of the plan recommends a change of 12 months to do the work. in 2007 for the Halton Hills rural high school stuA man asked Cullen if the proposed dents who live south and west of Georgetown Georgetown South high school was off the table. and now attend Milton District High School. Cullen said it wasn't, but that the indication from Under the revised draft plan students who live the community at the last public meeting on the north of 5 Sideroad between Winston Churchill board's capital plan was there was more support Blvd. and the hydro corridor located between the for the renovations at GDHS. Fourth and Fifth Lines would be redirected to One woman at the meeting was frustrated Georgetown District High School. because she doesn't feel the community has Comments on the draft capital plan need to be enough details on the high school renovation to submitted to the board's planning department by know what would be included and to make an May 18. informed decision on whether or not it was worth (Lisa Tallyn can be reached the money or if a new school would be a better at ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Continued