Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Bratina
My original suggestion to build a new Sir John A. MacDonald high school came in 2005, long before the Pan Ams were considered. First consideration....the sad architecture of a failed building, reminiscent of the Barton Street Jail. This is not a building that inspires pride in its students, many of whom face challenges in their personal lives. Sitting outside to have lunch or kick a ball around puts them between two major arteries, Cannon and York. The athletic field is to say the least sub-standard. Beneath it is the rubble of the old McCoy Foundry which means it is never level, and poorly sodded. The ideal location is on City-owned property a block north on Bay at Scheaffe, or on the north side of Central park which is also City property. This places the school in a less-travelled residential area, adjacent to a green space, Central Park. A school on the Barton street property could have great classroom views of the Harbour and a safer, quieter cleaner environment for Sir John
A. students. In fact most of the teachers with whom I've discussed this idea are strongly supportive, understanding that the current school and grounds are less than ideal.
This creates another positive element for Downtown development. Whether its a stadium, hotel, conference centre, the site presents what is so difficult to find in dense urban areas, namely a substantial parcel of land.
So I will continue to advocate for a new Downtown high school. The comment by "highwater" is beneath contempt and is the probable indicator as to why most of my colleagues avoid making any contributions to forums such as this.
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I was involved in the board's 'revitalization' process of its elementary schools. It is disingenuous to suggest that SJAM will somehow be lifted wholesale and placed in a prettier building in a prettier spot in the same neighbourhood. This process is about one thing and one thing only: eliminating spaces for students in our established neighbourhoods in order to expand on the fringes. SJAM won't simply be relocated in the same neighbourhood, it will be amalgamated with other schools putting its unique programs at risk and damaging the city's efforts to densify and revitalize these neighbourhoods.
With the exception of Saltfleet, Waterdown, and Westmount,
all our high schools, including the venerable Westdale with its IB and celebrated Media Arts programs, are on the chopping block. This is not cause for celebration, this is cause for panic.
The board's actions run counter to everything we know about economic development and sustainability. You and your colleagues should be madly lobbying the Ministry of Education to change their funding formula, or at least urging them to have a chat with their colleagues at the Ministry of Energy and Infrasructure.
https://www.placestogrow.ca/index.php?lang=eng.
I realize I'm straying a little off topic, but much of your justification for your choice of the SJAM site revolves around the idea that you can convince the board to move SJAM to a nicer building in a nicer location without sacrificing spaces, programs, and other schools. The teachers you've spoken to have little say in the matter, and there is absolutely no reason to believe that the administration would go along with this.
I find it telling that you dismiss my pointed, but otherwise perfectly civil comments as "beneath contempt". While you complain on the one hand about "hokey anonymous tirades", the relative anonymity of the internet also conveniently allows you to mischaracterize and dismiss the legitimate points of view of your fellow citizens. No doubt you have given credence to far less civil rants simply because they were uttered at public meetings.