Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: School district must protect those it’s displacing for Parkcrest

Sep 11, 2019 | 7:48 AM

KAMLOOPS — IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT about the level of disruption caused by the fire that destroyed Parkcrest elementary school, all doubt has been removed with the unveiling of the plan for moving the 350 students to different classroom space.

Since the plan was revealed Sunday and Monday, it’s already undergoing some tinkering.

All Parkcrest students will be kept together at George Hilliard school. Keeping the kids together in one place is certainly desirable but it requires the dislodging of several other groups.

The Twin Rivers Education Centre, for example, was announced as being moved from George Hilliard to NorKam senior secondary. That didn’t go over very well with TREC parents concerned about moving kids from an alternative school into a traditional senior secondary setting.

So, the District has gone back to the drawing boards and is looking at how best to reconfigure the old Happyvale elementary on Holt Street.

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Students from the 4 Directions school at George Hilliard are already slated to move to Happyvale.

But Happyvale is occupied by the Big Little Science Centre. So, the Science Centre will have to move somewhere else. Two daycares at Happyvale find themselves in the same boat.

Take pity on the poor Big Little Science Centre. It’s been searching for a permanent home for years and thought it had found at least a long-term one at Happyvale.

In less than 20 years, the Science Centre has been located in four different schools. At one time, there was a dream of having its own dedicated building but that remains a dream. Now, it must find another temporary home.

The school board has shown its determination to keep Parkcrest students and teachers whole but it also has a duty to guarantee those being displaced by that commitment don’t become casualties.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.