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•T he I FP • H al to n H ill s •T hu rs d ay , M ay 2 3, 2 01 3 10 Event Special Hello Georgetown, Come visit the Cogeco Booth at the Home & Better Living Show. Because we're all about being helpful, we'll have an exclusive offer for visitors who sign up at the show. Dates: Fri., May 24, 10-9 Sat., May 25, 9:30-6 Sun., May 26, 12-5 Location: Georgetown Market Place - 280 Guelph Street Shop at our store in the Milton Crossroads Plaza. 1-800-267-9000 / Cogeco.ca The chance for construction of a replacement for Holy Cross School is getting closer with the latest consul- tant's fi ndings. At the Board of Trustees meeting of the Halton Catholic District School Board on Tuesday (May 21), consultant Cynthia Clark, director of Quadrant Advisory Group Limited presented the fi nancial impact and recommenda- tions for the latest Long Term Capital Plan Update 2013-2028. Quadrant reviewed future enrolment and building repair needs to come up with a 15-year plan for the board. The recommendations include con- struction of a replacement 700-pupil elementary school on the Halton Cath- olic District School Board (HCDSB) site at the corner of Ber- ton Blvd. and Atwood Dr. in Georgetown West and to begin a bound- ary review of the Catho- lic elementary schools (except St. Joseph in Acton). Action on the new school is recom- mended by 2016-17 as the Province will an- nounce funding for new schools in 2015. Should new residen- tial development hap- pen in Georgetown's new southwest urban area, then a new elemen- tary school for that area (Eighth Line to Trafalgar Rd. between 10 and 15 Sideroads) is recommended with a planned opening of 2025-26. The consultants also recommend that HCDSB address school renewal and repair when warranted. The current Catholic elementary en- rolment in Halton Hills stands at 2,754 and that is expected to grow to 3,248 in 15 years' time. Christ the King Secondary School's enrolment of 1,558 is expected to re- main relatively steady with the enrol- ment in 2027-28 projected at 1,518. The building is considered to be in good condition, and able to handle additional enrolment from future planned developments. The consul- tants recommend that enrolment be monitored and to repair the school when necessary. "The recommendations of the con- sultant happily matches my own as- pirations for the Georgetown West School site," said HCDSB's Halton Hills Trustee John Mark Rowe. "I have been working quite a bit with our (Well- lington-Halton Hills) MPP Ted Arnott on this project to ensure Georgetown gets the very best chance possible to receive funding. I had Mr. Arnott meet the Chair of the Board and the facili- ties department last month for a tour of Holy Cross Catholic School. The Board provided him with a summary of our concerns which he personally took to Minister (of Education) Liz Sandals. With a promise to look into the matter, I have also provided Mr. Arnott with a copy of our previous business case submission to the Min- istry for the replacement of Holy Cross Catholic elementary with a new facil- ity in Georgetown West." Rowe says he has also been keeping the Board Chair Diane Rabenda "in the loop regarding all my efforts to have Georgetown West funded. I am very hopeful that my other colleagues on the Board of Trustees will also sup- port the very obvious needs in Georgetown." Rowe said he has re- quested staff consider bringing the boundary review forward to Au- tumn 2013. That would involve parent repre- sentatives from the four Georgetown Catholic el- ementary schools to re- align the boundaries. "I am hopeful that this will be implemented with ap- plication in the Autumn of 2014," he said. "I am recommending this because the Ministry looks favourably on sub- missions for new funding when the re- view process has been undertaken." All the Georgetown Catholic elemen- tary schools: Holy Cross, St. Brigid, St. Catherine and St. Francis are at more than 100 per cent functional capacity and that is expected to continue over the next 15 years. Other consultants' fi ndings include: • Elementary enrolment across the region is expected to increase by 5,100 students by 2027-28 school year, while high school enrolment may increase by 1,200. • Consultants recommend over the 15-year period three replacement schools, three additions to existing schools and 13 new schools to address growth-related development be built, while in other areas (mainly old Burl- ington and Oakville) schools be closed. The Board of Trustees will vote on the consultants' recommentations at the June 18 meeting. By CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer Rowe seeks MPP's help to get Holy Cross replacement school HCDSB TRUSTEE JOHN MARK ROWE