Keeping TSS open still highly possible

By Stephen Dyell

What's On Thorold

Reaction on the decision on Thorold Secondary’s remaining options within the meetings between members of the Accommodation Review Committee has seen as both positively and negatively.

“We dodged a bullet Thursday night,” Committee member Terry Ohm stated. “I have to give a lot of credit to the people who came out to support us in the February meeting. By coming out and being at the meetings along with writing letters and sending emails, the show of support we got had a significant impact on the committee itself.”

The option that included keeping Thorold Secondary open wasn’t even on the table at the previous meeting. The show of support brought 11 new public options to the committee and ultimately ended up being one of two final options.

“We did the best, given what we had to work with. I believe that we are well positioned going into a decision by the Trustees,” Councilor and member ARC committee Sergio Paone stated. “We all need to keep the pressure on the Board to choose the option that keeps Thorold open.”

The DSBN has the final decision in the overall process but the two options presented to them will feature options that include either closing West Park and Kernahan Park or closing Thorold and Kernahan Park.

“I am a bit disappointed that the option to save four community schools was rejected. We didn't have to end up closing two schools, as is the case now,” Paine said on the matter.

Kernahan Park Secondary has many students bus in from the region making it easier to disperse their population into specific high schools. Losing a high school that benefits with smaller class sizes and more specifics on job training will be a tough loss.

West Park Secondary School is located just less than four kilometers from the location of the new hospital in St. Catharines and features and pool and track not owned by the school.

Thorold on the other hand is remotely placed from the nearest high school resulting in busses being used to transport the ever growing population. Many voices in public meetings have shown that parents will be inclined to transfer their children into the Catholic School Board rather than keeping them in the DSBN system.

Residents have their chance to voice opinions on the matter one last time on March 1st as members of the ARC will meet and listen to the general public.

“We are going to try and rally the troops like we did two weeks ago,” Ohm said on encouraging residents and students to show up to the final meeting at Kernahan Park.