Closure of school used for special programs in Creston, B.C. draws protests

Dozens of peoplegathered in Creston, B.C.,Friday to protest the closing of the Creston Education Centre.

The centre is considered a hub of education and family programs in the community and the school district plans to relocatethe centre's programs in June.

The decision to close it was made after the district completed a facilities review, according to School District 8 board chair Lenore Trenaman.

We [have] about $83 million worth of deferred maintenance for the buildings in District 8, one of which is the [CrestonEducation Centre]," Trenaman told Daybreak South host Chris Walker.

"We looked at whether or not we can provide those programs and reduce our deferred maintenance by downsizing."

Trenaman says the district has lost 2,000 students inrecent years and the district has been able to find spaces in other buildings to keep running the programs, which include early childhood education, speech therapy, pregnancy outreach and distance learning.

Local politician says review flawed

But Garry Jackman, the regional district director from the Creston area, says the new locations for the programs are in older buildings and the locations are less convenient.

Jackman said the review, which was completed in 2016, is a cost-saving exercise he found "highly questionable."

He says it should be redone with more recent census information, which he says indicates the region is actually growing.

Trenaman says Jackman is not correct about the review, and the school districthas taken updated figures into account.

"We still believe we have the space that is required to provide good services and programs to our students," she said.

Parent and teacher still wary

Still, Zavallennahh Hushcroft Young, a parent of two kids who are enrolled in the centre's programs, and a music teacher there, has concerns.

HushcroftYoungfeels some of the spaces where the programs are scheduled to move, are inadequate. She is critical of the decision-making processwhich she says was too hasty and excluded community groups' input.

"There'snothing else that brings the children and families together in one place," she said.

"It's where the networking happens, it's where we feel supported at every level."

With files from CBC Radio One's Daybreak South and Radio West