Mark Chevalier, Vice President of the Hamilton Heights Neighbourhood Association spoke during the public section of the District #44 School Board Meeting on behalf of the area residents. Noted below is his speech:

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Good Evening School Board:

I am Vice President of the Hamilton Heights Neighbourhood Association.

The Lucas Centre site is directly within our community.

The majority of our community believe that public school lands should retain in public ownership and not be sold.

We were very disappointed that lease or community use options were not discussed by the School Board or Dialog as options, at community meetings, despite assurances that they would be considered.

A running track option was added late in the process. While the other options instead retained the grass field, which in any event is required by the City’s draft OCP.

Also, the report states that the site was to be reviewed partly on the basis of being a “Place for Learning” …. but no educational / learning use for the site has been presented in any way, at any open house, or in the report.

The School Board and Dialog options were primarily driven by residential re-zoning to generate real estate sales revenue.

We welcome tonight’s motion that the School Board review:
“… alternative community uses for the Lucas Centre lands … prior to the City Special Study”.

We request that the School Board address these concerns as the process moves forward.

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Ultimately, the motion failed to pass. Once again, money and not public concerns are driving the decisions…with implications that the area and City residents will have to bear the brunt of.