Editorial: Fight for GDHS

Residents who attended last week's Halton District School Board capital plan at Georgetown District High School were given a simple message: If you want a new public high school and/or renovations to the existing one let your voice be heard. Gerry Cullen, superintendent of facilities services with the HDSB, outlined the board's five-year capital plan­ a plan than has been severely hampered by the provincial government's feetdragging when it comes to announcing how much funding will be available to Ontario school boards. The McGuinty government's ambiguity about funding has left boards trying to plan for growth without knowing where the money, if any, will come from, and when. Those in attendance last week heard about the deteriorating conditions at GDHS and the board's plan to build an addition onto the school next year in order to accommodate the approximately 150 additional students expected to enrol. Plans for a new school in Georgetown South in 2016 have been cancelled as projected enrolment numbers won't warrant the new structure. However, that still leaves the future of GDHS in limbo. The century-old school clearly needs a major overhaul but unless local residents voice their concerns to board officials, it's possible the school could find itself on the short end of the funding stick-- again. Now is the time for those concerned to let board officials know of your concerns. Comments should be e-mailed to westerhofe@hdsb.ca or call the board's planning office at 905-842-3014 before March 9. Comments will be analyzed and presented to the public in April. The next meeting planned for Halton Hills is April 20, 7-9 p.m. at GDHS.