News Release - Oct. 8, 2010
VICTORIA - The Sooke School District's presentation to the provincial finance committee this week serves as a reminder of the importance of moving forward with the Belmont High School replacement project, say Westshore Opposition MLAs John Horgan and Maurine Karagianis.
"The Sooke School District encompasses five municipalities, and all of them are standing together to make the point that we simply cannot wait any longer to move forward with the replacement of Belmont Secondary School," said John Horgan, MLA for Juan de Fuca.
"The Westshore is a rapidly growing community that is underserved by just one high school today, never mind the projections of growth many years into the future," said Maurine Karagianis, MLA for Esquimalt-Royal Roads, noting that Sooke District Superintendent Jim Cambridge presented figures to the finance committee showing district schools will be at 148 per cent of capacity in 15 years.
The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has been meeting in communities across the province seeking input into government spending priorities for the coming year. Presenters representing the Sooke School District and supported by several municipal politicians from the region presented to the committee in Victoria Thursday.
School Board Chair Wendy Hobbs said in her presentation, "We're just kind of stuck. The ministry wants us to do new and innovative things with education. If we had the buildings, we'd show everybody how to do it right."
"The School Board has worked with their partners to come up with a stellar business plan that would see a brand new Belmont school built on a new site down the road, plus a new high school in Colwood at Royal Bay. The province has already committed funding for the land - now we just need them to step up and provide capital funding to build the schools," said Horgan.
Karagianis added that the Sooke District is one of only a few growing districts in the province. "We have to look past the short-term thinking that has held us back for so long, and get on with the business of making sure families in the Westshore have access to safe schools that aren't overcrowded."
"The B.C. Liberals promised during the last election to protect education. Failing to invest in the Sooke School District, which is doing everything right, would be another huge disappointment from this government for families on the Westshore."
The Sooke School District left the high school upgrade business plan with the finance committee in hopes they will make a strong recommendation to government to move forward with the Belmont replacement project with full funding in the Spring 2011 budget.
Carole James and the Official Opposition are offering a compassionate, fair and pragmatic vision with practical solutions to address our social economic and environmental challenges.
- 30 -
