Minister of Infrastructure and local MLA Ray Danyluk notified the St. Paul Education Regional Division (SPERD) board that the Racette School modernization is not on the provincial government’s list of infrastructure priorities for the coming year.
“That is a lot different than what they have been saying for the last two years,” Trustee Rhonda Lafrance said at the SPERD board meeting on Wednesday.
“The education minister and our MLA kept saying that … as soon as dollars are flowing again, it’ll be done, but now they are telling us that because of growth in other areas, those projects are a much higher priority.”
The board of trustees and the school council chair met with Danyluk on Feb. 11 to discuss the matter and they received the information from him at that time. A letter was sent home to the parents of Racette students on Feb. 23, informing them of the decision.
Now the parent council and the SPERD board plans to hold a public meeting with Danyluk at 7 p.m. on Thursday to give him an opportunity to answer questions and address concerns from the community.
After having met with the parent council to discuss the matter, Lafrance reported to the board “most people were frustrated that they are off the top of the priority list but they also realize the reality of our provincial situation, with dollars only going so far,” she said.
There is approximately $1.8 million remaining of the $12 million originally allocated in 2006 for renovations to St. Paul Elementary School and Racette School, according to an email from Lafrance to the Journal.
It is unlikely that Racette will get the full $10.5 million that has been requested for the modernization, said Danyluk. However, he may be able to come up with some additional money and is hoping to hear from the board and parent council what they see as priorities.
During Racette parent council discussions, one idea put forward was to try to use provincial funding to cover the heating and electrical and look at using division Infrastructure Maintenance and Renewal (IMR) funding to upgrade the science labs, Career and Technology Studies, the art room and other areas gradually over the next five years, Lafrance said.
“That presents a challenge for us because if we are using IMR dollars to do a modernization, then we have other schools that will not get what they need,” responded Jean Champagne, secretary-treasurer of SPERD. He noted that often it is disruptive to the students to have renovations happening every year.
Everyone is welcome to come out to the Racette parent council meeting on Thusday to participate in the discussions with Danyluk.
