A dispute over the location of a new high school in Barrie’s south end may be coming to an end.
During a general committee meeting on Monday night, a motion was passed to approve the Simcoe County’s District School Board’s most recent site plan.
The motion was put forth by Ward 10 councillor Mike McCann in an effort to speed up the building process. It was passed with a vote of five to four, with two councillors absent.
“I want this school built. The residents want their school build,” says McCann. “More importantly students need their school built.”
The City of Barrie and the SCDSB has been at odds over where the school should be located. The board wants to build the school on the south side of a lot on Mapleview Drive and Prince William Way.
The city however wants the building erected on the north side of the lot.
"They certainly did vote in favor last night at their committee to approve the site plan. The issue will be or the question will be will they approve it next week when it goes to council," says SCDSB chairperson Peter Beacock.
On May 17 the SCDSB announced they would be submitting a request to the Ontario Municipal Board to step in and help the two sides reach an agreement. The city hopes that after Monday’s decision they won’t have to go to the OMB.
“Council has actually tonight given initial approval to the south high school site plan,” say Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman. “Whether or not they will now drop their OMB appeal; whether or not they will now proceed is now entirely up to them, but we've approved their site plan so I don't understand how they couldn't."
With the general committee approving the plan, the proposal will now head to Barrie city council for final approval.
"Well the first thing we have to do is see what happens, and see what that wording is on the motion, and whether it's changed. Then obviously if it's approved then we'll have to discuss that at our board meeting next week," says Beacock. "That’s a trustee decision, and we'll have to have that discussion to determine what we do next."
