[thistleclub]

Board seeks OK to buy land for second Meadowlands school
(Ancaster News, Richard Leitner, June 6 2013)

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board is taking the first step toward buying a site for a second elementary school in the ever-expanding Ancaster Meadowlands as it struggles to find room for students in the existing one.

Trustees emerged from a brief closed session last week to approve acquiring a site in the new Tiffany Hill neighbourhood subject to approval by the Ministry of Education.

Development plans for the neighbourhood, located on the north side of Garner Road East between Springbrook Avenue and Raymond Road, already set aside a 2.5-hectare spot for the school next to a two-hectare park.

The board sought $9.5-million for a 500-seat school as part of last-year’s capital priorities submission to the ministry, but came up empty-handed.

“It remains to be seen where the funding for that will come,” board chair Tim Simmons said, citing the sale of surplus land as one of the few other available ways to raise money.

Senior facilities officer Dan Del Bianco said staff is resubmitting the request for ministry funding this year, but the initial goal of opening the school in September 2014 will be pushed back a year even if funding does come through.