With heavy hearts, members of Penetanguishene council told eager representatives of the Penetanguishene Protestant School Board and families of Burkevale Protestant Separate School that 51 Dunlop St. wasn’t for them.
The decision was handed down during this week's committee of the whole meeting as Mayor Doug Rawson summarized town council and staff’s recommendation – that the site of former Penetanguishene Secondary School wouldn’t be the new location for the school.
The reason was timing, which didn’t align between the municipality and the province.
A $17.1 million project investment for a new school build by the province in May caused huge celebrations among the school board, Burkevale staff and students, and numerous politicians.
The catch was that the new location of Burkevale would need to be completed with classes starting as of September 2027.
From the municipal perspective, the 13.6-acre property of 51 Dunlop Street was chosen in early 2023 for a multi-use recreation centre (estimated between $35- to $50- million). A 2021 study noted that 10 acres minimum would be required for the MURC building, excluding outdoor fields and amenities.
At the start of the council meeting, several open deputations from residents, staff and students of Burkevale implored council to put the rubber stamp to make a deal for 4 acres of 51 Dunlop Street to be provided as the new school location.
A further deputation from Protestant Separate School Board trustee Kyle Graham, who is also the co-chair for the board’s ‘new build’ committee, presented additional information, citing ways the town would benefit from a shared land use for a community hub, as well as how it would align with council’s objectives.
When asked if there was flexibility by the province, Graham admitted the constraints for the $17.1 million were strict and that September 2027 was the opening day goal.
A report on the land acquisition request by the school board for the property was given highlights by town staff at the meeting, which rationalized the recommendation to decline the offer due to several factors.
“We kept driving back at a staff level, that this process requires proper consultation and engagement,” said CAO Jeff Lees, “particularly for a significant build of this nature. You only do these once every 50, 60, 70 years. It certainly needs and deserves the time and attention.”
Planning and community development director Andrea Betty cited that an official plan amendment involving comprehensive talks with multiple stakeholders would take 18-to-24 months “...that would eventually get the property to a point of shovel readiness for building permits; that’s just on the planning side of things in a best-case scenario for when we start the work on this”. Additionally, the county would have the final say on the official plan amendment, which could take that timeline further.
Council members apologized to Burkevale attendees as the decision was made to side with the staff recommendation.
Said Rawson: “I’m at a crossroads on this, I really am. I know we all said ‘let’s go down this as a partnership and let’s figure it out’, and when we started that conversation, $17 million didn’t roll in town. Since then, the environment’s changed.”
PSSB board chair Lynne Cousens took to the podium to answer a question, but extended her response into a further plea which noted the overdue conditions of staff and students struggling through a school which was too small for their needs.
However, with optimism Cousens stated, “I don’t give up. We will continue – we will get a school, and we will have it built. It’s a process we’ll work through. We’ve been knocked down before, and we will get back up and have another try.”
Rawson, with sympathy, said: “51 Dunlop’s not in your best interest” while noting that transparency with the community dictated that the planning and municipal processes not be unreasonably expedited.
“I think you want more a school that you can ring the bell tomorrow, than making the hub become a reality; because the hub becoming a reality is time,” Rawson stated.
“I think unfortunately you were not set up with success, and what I mean by that is: you received money to build something but you didn’t have anywhere to go and they said ‘alright, make it happen’. That’s not your fault, that’s not our fault; that’s just the current reality. That’s what I’m going to call: politics.”
Council members extended further apologies but sided with the second staff option, to not have council enter into discussions with the school board to acquire land at 51 Dunlop Street. However, Rawson requested that municipal staff continue to help those in the school board and at Burkevale through their quest to find a new home.
Committee of the whole decisions are anticipated to be discussed and/or ratified at an upcoming regular meeting of council.
The 51 Dunlop Street land acquisition request report, as well as Protestant Separate School Board deputation, can be located on the agenda page of the Town of Penetanguishene website.
Meetings of Penetanguishene council are held on the second Wednesday of each month, and can be watched live on Rogers TV cable 53 when available, or on the Rogers TV website.
Archives of council meetings are located on the Town of Penetanguishene YouTube channel.
