This story has been amended since first posting.
Anxious residents in the Balmoral school neighbourhood took over a public information session held by the school district Tuesday, changing the format midway to allow for more public questions.
The forum held at the school was to inform area residents of plans on placing the district's new alternate school, the Community Learning Program, at Balmoral and to solicit feedback on the transition.
The new program will combine the district's existing alternate schools into one, including the Youth Learning Centre at Lucas Centre and Keith Lynn.
But as moderator Chuck Brook tried to put a limit on the number of public questions, the packed room of 120 people refused to stop, forcing school district staff to respond to questions and concerns for 40 minutes past the scheduled 9 p.m. deadline, and in private discussions for long after that.
Traffic safety and a lack of public consultation on the location of the school were the dominant concerns, but several parents also expressed a fear that the students of alternate programs themselves were a threat to area safety, property values or nearby elementary students.
"I don't want to generalize, but do we want this kind of facility a block away from an elementary school?" said one resident.
Another resident, Jeff Kennedy, who wrote to the North Shore News but didn't attend the meeting, said he had chosen not to buy a home in the Keith Lynn area in part because of concerns surrounding the school. He didn't agree with the idea of one alternate program for students from across the district.
"Quite frankly I'm hoping I'm over-estimating the negative effect of Keith Lynn, but my daughter literally walks past that school every morning," he said.
Superintendent of schools John Lewis described those concerns as "fear mongering."
Staff said students go to alternate programs because the regular school doesn't work for them, and that could be for a variety of reasons. Social problems at school, anxiety, depression, family troubles, behavioural problems and simply different styles of learning were all given as examples.
There was a strong diversity of views expressed throughout the evening, with several residents also supporting the concept of the school, some expressing reservations about the location, and others, especially parents with students in the alternate program, fully in favour of the project.
Franci Stratton, chairwoman of the board of education, made it clear the location of the alternate program at Balmoral is a done deal.
"Whether or not we agree or disagree on the decision to bring the Community Learning Program here, that is the decision," she said to close the meeting.
There are other decisions that have not been made - and where the school district is asking for input.
Lewis said the school is considering an agreement with the recreation commission to open the gym and other rooms to the community for recreation programs like yoga or sports in the evenings. The proposed school renovations, which would cost up to $2.5 million, could include a separate entrance for the recreation component, but Lewis said the district wants to hear from the community before formalizing an agreement.
The adult courses are also moving out of Lucas Centre and Balmoral is a possible new home. The move would add another 200 adult students on top of an anticipated 175 students slated for the Community Learning Program.
"That's a challenge because it's adults. They're driving, and that will be an issue," admitted Lewis, who said they could also split up the program among different sites.
"Huge traffic," said Laurie Levangie, an area resident, when asked what she was worried about after the meeting. She accepted the decision to locate the Community Learning Program at Balmoral, but said adult education should be located elsewhere. "Two hundred students, adult students, coming to school every morning from nine to 11. It's not acceptable."
She also expressed a complaint that was voiced a lot at the meeting - that people haven't been properly consulted. The meeting, though public, was only advertised through Braemar school PAC and online.
"This was supposed to be a public meeting for the public to come to, except they forgot to invite the public," said Levangie, who was collecting emails to keep people informed of what's happening at the school.
A working group is studying the transition of the Community Learning Program at Balmoral, and is accepting feedback through email at [email protected]. More information is also available at www.nvsd44.bc.ca.
