Lots of sympathy, and a letter from council on Stuart Wood

NEWS/ CITY HALL — A delegation trying to save Stuart Wood elementary as a school got lots of sympathy from Kamloops City council today (Tuesday) during a discussion that lasted almost an hour and a half, with several heated exchanges among council members, but no promises.

The only action council agreed to take was to ask the Kamloops-Thompson School District to make time to meet with members of the Downtown West End Community Association on the issue.

Community spokesman Denis Walsh urged council to view the fate of Stuart Wood as not just a school issue, but an urban planning issue.

“We need to look at a more holistic approach,” said Walsh. “I really believe this is a unique situation.”

He said the building needs upgrading — estimates range between $2 million and $4 million — but those upgrades are going to be needed whether the school district operates it as a school or the City has to take it back.

“These expenses are just sitting there waiting for somebody, whether it’s the school district or yourselves.”

Mayor Peter Milobar, who attended Stuart Wood as a child, said he’s “sympathetic” and “we’d all be quite happy to see it stay as a school.”

But he repeated several times that it’s a “complex” issue and the school board is a local elected body and will make a decision on the school based on educational needs.

Coun. Tina Lange supported trying to keep Stuart Wood as a school. “It seems to me having a school downtown helps us to attract more residents downtown.”

She moved that council send a letter to the school board stating the council’s preference to retain Stuart Wood as a school because of the need to protect sustainability of the downtown core, but also stating the council didn’t wish to interfere. It would also state the City is not in a position to help financially.

Milobar opposed the motion. “I am not the education expert. I didn’t run and get elected thinking I know how to run an education system.”

Other schools such as John Tod and Westsyde elementary have been closed and the council hasn’t become involved, he said. “I don’t know why Stuart Wood would be any different.”

Lange rebutted that comment by saying the City is “a stakeholder” in the Stuart Wood outcome because of the City’s strategic and community plans.

Milobar said the letter idea was “window dressing,” adding it felt as though council wanted to seem to be doing something, “quite frankly.” Coun. Donovan Cavers supported the letter, citing walkability and sustainability as principles the council should stand behind.

“I think it’s quite important to have a school.” Coun. Arjun Singh also supported the motion, saying “I think there’s a role for us to play.”

Coun. Ken Christian, a former school board chair, also opposed the motion. “This is about a school district deciding what’s best for kids.. They will make a decision that’s educationally sound.“

The motion was defeated on a 3-3 tie vote, with Coun. Nelly Dever, Milobar and Christian opposed, and Lange, Singh and Cavers in favour.

Dever then moved that council express its willingness to listen to “any and all” proposals to keep the school open.

Lange couldn’t see the point of the motion.

Dever said it was an attempt to sum up everything “you guys have been discussing.”

“I don’t see why we would bother with that letter,” said Lange.

Dever’s motion was defeated.

Finally, a motion by Cavers to send a letter to the school board asking it to make time to meet with the residents’ group was carried.