The location of the proposed joint-use school on South Hill is likely a done deal, but that isn’t stopping Jan Radwanski from opposing any changes that might support the project.
Radwanski — along with Michel Labonte — spoke during council’s Feb. 13 regular meeting against bylaw changes that would remove the remaining hurdles facing the school project in the Westheath subdivision.
Council later voted 4-2 in favour of all three bylaw amendments, but since the votes were not unanimous, the changes will only become official during the Feb. 27 regular meeting.
Regional boards
What council must remember is the amalgamation of school divisions in 2006 created regional boards and eliminated the Moose Jaw-focused board, Radwanski said. Therefore, Holy Trinity Catholic School Division and Prairie South School Division are comprised of regional members engaged in school renewal in this city.
The Catholic division began planning 15 years ago to reconstruct Sacred Heart for $1 million, but the provincial government spiked that after the public division wanted to renew its South Hill schools, he continued.
The Ministry of Education said both school divisions should pursue a joint-use project because similar projects were happening elsewhere, Radwanski pointed out.
So, Regina-based officials hired contractor KPMG to choose the site, a decision that “blindsided” council and city administration.
“Do we want to eradicate our neighbourhood schools in order to accommodate a large-school model that’s been made by regional boards and bureaucrats in Regina and then thrown onto us? And then (them) saying there’s nothing we can do about it?” Radwanski remarked.
Public consultations
Radwanski, a former Prairie South trustee, argued there have been no genuine public consultations about the Westheath site. When KPMG provided the report to the PSSD board in 2019, he alleged he only had a few minutes to review the document before voting on it.
He noted that this site contradicted the results of a Prairie South survey from 2019, which asked parents what site they most preferred. Many ranked Westmount as their first choice.
It doesn’t make sense to close — or “consolidate” in government jargon — four community schools and stick children in the far southwest corner, which lacks parks and playgrounds, Radwanski said.
The former trustee wondered why Moose Jaw was moving kids away from excellent outdoor learning opportunities in Wakamow Valley and sticking them in a “Costco-sized warehouse.”
OCP contradictions
The Official Community Plan (OCP) — currently being updated — says elementary schools should serve more than one neighbourhood and be centrally located, Radwanski continued. The document also says schools should be adjacent to municipal parks like Smith, Optimist, and Parkhill, which are 14 acres combined compared to the proposed 10-acre site.
“So … we are reviewing the OCP but we’re going against the OCP and we’re going to close Westheath Park that’s been there for around 25 years … ,” he said. “It’s a dedicated park space; we own it. But to accommodate the area reset, we have to move a park onto leased school board property to keep that amenity in the neighbourhood.”
Dozens of buses will transport kids from the far eastern end of South Hill to the west end that, for some, will be 28 blocks and potentially a 30-minute ride each time, Radwanski continued.
He wondered if the city had ever conducted an environmental study about 21 buses idling twice a day for five days a week for almost 200 days a year. He also wondered if Westheath residents knew that nearly 1,100 kids would attend the kindergarten to Grade 8 school and that thousands of vehicle trips would occur daily.
Step up for the community
It won’t be possible to add portables to expand the school because of the site’s size, which means the school divisions would have to return to either Westmount or Sacred Heart and hope they’re still available, he pointed out. He also wondered where kids in the southwest would attend school if the building were full.
“I ask you to step up … for our community as councillors,” he continued, adding council should wait to decide about the bylaw changes until after the OCP review was finished.
Radwanski noted that Mayor Clive Tolley was the only council member to respond to his email in December 2022.
“‘While I personally prefer smaller neighbourhood schools, this large new school is going ahead and will be built on land purchased from the city. I cannot do anything about this,’” Radwanski said while quoting part of Tolley’s email. “‘Once decisions are made and financing is in place, I do not believe in throwing roadblocks in front of a project … .’”
Tolley was the only member to speak to Radwanski after his presentation.
“The horse has already left the barn. It’s a decision that’s been made by the two school boards jointly (and) by the department of education,” the mayor said. “They (came) to the city to ask to purchase land. You can continue to voice your opinion (but) I don’t think there’s any more opportunity this evening for more dialogue.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Feb. 27.
