Catholic board OKs St. FX replacement, closure of two

By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on October 17, 2023.

reporter@medicinehatnews.com

Board trustees for the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education approved last week a motion to build a replacement K-9 school for St. Francis Xavier and then close two others.

The K-9 St. Francis Xavier replacement school, approved in a 4-1 board vote Oct. 10, will include the closure of St. Mary’s School and St. Michael’s School upon completion of the build.

Trustee Bernie Kinch spoke out during discussion, suggesting the project was pushed too quickly by the former minister of education (Adriana LaGrange) and not driven by the school board. Further, Kinch feels there has been a lack of consultation with only one general meeting held. He also shared concerns with resulting traffic issues if a school of the proposed size is built near McCoy. He believes the building of a theatre seems to be the main driving force behind the proposed location.

Trustee Robert Risling was in favour of the project. Having sat on the board for 10 years, he said he understands the challenges MHCBE faces and feels the new school is in the best interest of the division.

Kathy Glasgo also supported the motion, stating LaGrange came up with the current plan as a solution when looking at utilization rate. Further, she said, divisions across the province are exploring solution projects as a way of getting the most out of funding received.

Trustee David Leahy believes the project is best for the division when looking ahead to the next half century. He called it a fallacy and unfair to say the new build was being done because the division wanted a theatre. The Friends of McCoy group, he said, looked at a theatre at the same time the board was drawing up its capital plan, but one didn’t necessitate the other. Leahy said there could always be more consultation but in his dealings with parents, said he hasn’t received much opposition to the project.

Trustee Dick Mastel talked about how the location was selected so McCoy students could have easy access to the theatre, which would save the division on transportation costs. Leahy had brought up the cost of keeping both St. Mike’s and St. Mary’s open, and Mastel agreed. Both schools are 60-plus years old and the financial impact on the division in terms of maintenance and modernization would be high, they said. Mastel also suggested how those who were in opposition when they closed the last school became the biggest supporters once the project was complete.

MHCBE has put together a page for stakeholders to see updates regarding the new school build. All information and FAQ can be found at httpsmhcbe.ab.ca/new-school-project.

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