Will Tomkinson

Glenbrook Parents to School Grimston


Royal City Blogger Niki Hope, who excels at all things educational in her website, has recently posted that the Glenbrook Middle School Parent Advisory Council has passed a resolution that, while focusing on the need for a new High School, also calls for the use of Grimston Park as a school site for a middle school.

While the idea of a school on Grimston has been almost universally reviled by the West End community (see Facebook Page Here) and the need for a middle school is still hotly debated, I don't personally see why the Glenbrook folks (and fine folks they be, I am sure) would really concern themselves with building a middle school way on the other side of town. Perhaps the Westend folks could suggest the removal of Queens Park in favour of a municipal waste to energy incinerator (you see, I am exaggerating for effect).

The content of the letter is below. I invite all concerned to comment here. I will try to have expounders of the Grimston School topic (for and against) send in comments also.


December 1, 2008

Jim Alkins
Project Director
School District #40
1001 Columbia Street
New Westminster, BC
V3M 1C4

Dear Mr. Alkins:

As the Parents’ Advisory Council (PAC) for Glenbrook Middle School, we are writing to you regarding the school construction public consultation process in our City. After significant discussion at our meeting on November 24, 2008, the PAC passed the following motion:
THAT the ÉCOLE GLENBROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL:
• urges the construction of the high school move forward as soon as possible:
• supports the idea of building a new middle school on the west side; and
• believes that Grimston Park should be considered as an option for that middle school.
CARRIED.

In our view, it is absolutely critical that this initiative – AND PARTICULARLY THE HIGH SCHOOL – move ahead as quickly as possible and NOT be allowed to “go back to the drawing board.” Too much time and money have already been spent and further delays will only continue to compromise the education of all our children.

Yours truly;

Stephen Bruyneel
Chair

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous says at

    Totally absurd. Grimston is the wrong site for a middle school. I can understand Glenbrook wanting to see the high school built, but why re-introduce paving over Grimston?

  2. Jocelyn says at

    Could it be a case of NIMBY? Surely not - these folks already HAVE a middle school, a brand-new one right beside a mostly brand-new elementary school! (Not to mention right next to the largest park in the city). What exactly is to be gained by standing against parents from the WestEnd? And what weight do resolutions from PACs have, anyway?

    I started this comment hoping that a brilliant thought or accusation would come to me (because accusations bring comments, you see) however this move by the Glenbrookians has me stumped. Yeah, I get it about the high school, but do they have something against Grimston Park?

    Now it's making me wonder - what are the regional boundaries for Glenbrook (are there any at all? I seem to remember Christy Clark doing away with school boundaries shortly before she left the Lej in a huff)... could it be that this is some wild plot to decrease the amount of WestEnd Unwashed travelling among their Tony Queen's Park tweens? The theory being that if the high school MUST be built, and that Grimston is an ideal place for a West End middle school, then the roster for one well-heeled middle school might go down?

    Wierd.
    I'm sensing the plot to a Desperate Housewives episode.

    Come On, Queen's Parkers... I've goaded you enough... tell us what you think!

  3. Anonymous says at

    The PAC should stay out of politics. They passed an opinion motion that has no impact other than upsetting people. While they where at it they should have passed a motion on the coalition government supporting Black and Julian as ministers. A motion like this could help the kids education to.

    New West residents should be thinking, if Grimstom gets build on what's next, 5% of QP you know the end over by the bridge that no one uses.....might as well add another 5% and get rid of 6th and McBride corner there is too much noise there for a park...both would be great spots for a high rise....we do need a new ...Canada Games Pool...a skating rink ...a youth center....a fire hall...a school downtown....a community center..a museum..an art center......a city hall.

  4. Nelson says at

    Re: Glenbrook PAC`s Vote on Grimston

    The Glenbrook PAC decision saddens me as I`m sure it does to a great many residents of our city. It reveals the lengths to which people are willing to go in the pursuit of their own immediate self-interest. The decision by the Glenbrook PAC shows either a disturbing disconnect or blatant disregard on their part for the overwhelmingly negative opinions expressed by those opposed to the Grimston plan. Or both. It shows the same aversion to real community effort, resourcefulness and creativity that recent school boards and city councils have displayed in the past that resulted in the present demands for land and school we are now suffering from.

    The Glenbrook PAC decision does exactly what those of us who advocate for saving all our parks, whether it is Grimston or any other in the city, sought to avoid at all cost - that is to pit one neighbourhood against another. Among the many things it makes evident is their lack of respect to the city’s proud historical past and its legacies, the labour and sacrifices of the generations who came before us and the selfish disregard for those to whom we leave the city behind. More immediately and quite alarmingly, it shows an absolute indifference of one neighbourhood towards another. It does not improve the environment within which we should all be working together to find the most rational solution to our school problems.

    Unlike the rest of us who have been waiting and fighting for the chance to examine the other 14 options the School Board claim they have for consideration, the Glenbrook PAC seeks instead to forego the responsible, obligatory and necessary examination of these other options. By requesting to have Grimston Park put ``back on the table``, they have made it evidently clear, however inadvertently, that they have already made up their minds about the only option they are willing to consider.

    The Glenbrook PAC decision is symptomatic of the conceit of the “me” and “now” generation. Like an itch that begs to be scratched, the author seeks immediate relief without the benefit of natural and beneficial remedies - or the appropriate consideration for possible long term ill-effects.

    That the Glenbrook PAC`s decision was fuelled, at least in part by frustration is easy enough to understand. It is one sentiment that is shared by many including me. Their action however goes beyond that, and quite unnecessarily so. It shows poor judgement.
    For these, their report card for this term reads as follows:
    Social Studies and History = F
    Conduct and behaviour towards others = F
    Personal Planning = F

    Nelson
    New Westminster Resident

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