Toronto School Pools Saved For At Least One More Year
Posted August 7, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
They may be filled with water but you might just call Toronto ‘s school pools ‘unsinkable.’
The swimming holes have been threatened with endless shut downs for years over a lack of funding, and in June, Toronto District School Board trustees voted to drain 39 of them once and for all after the province refused to cough up any more money to keep them afloat.
But despite being told it was a virtual fait accompli, supporters refused to give up and it now appears they’ll live to fight another day.
The Board appointed former mayor and Waterfront czar David Crombie to dive into one last effort to save the pools and his letter to City Hall, the province and the Board appeared to provide a temporary solution with the formation of an “Aquatics working group” that will seek to find permanent funding.
As a result, Queen’s Park has agreed to pony up $4 million to allow the pools to stay open at least one more year if certain conditions are met.
In the meantime, the group will try and find a longer term solution to the endless funding crisis. If they don’t come up with one by next year, you can expect the rancorous debates to begin again – and the protestors to get back in the pool.
School pools that were supposed to be decommissioned in June 2008:
Elementary Schools:
Carleton Village Sr PS
Earl Grey Sr PS
Fern Avenue Jr & Sr. PS
Keele Street Jr PS & City Community Centre
Kensington Community School
Queen Alexandra Sr. PS.
Winona McMurrich Jr PS
Secondary Schools:
Bickford Centre
Central Commerce Collegiate
Central Technical School (2 pools)
Danforth Collegiate & Technical Institute
Downsview SS
Forest Hill CI
George Harvey CI
George S Henry Academy
Jarvis CI
Monarch Park
North Toronto CI
Riverdale CI
Rosedale Heights SS
SATEC @WA Porter
Ursula Franklin Academy at Western Technical
School pools that were slated for decommissioning in June 2009:
Allenby Jr PS
AY Jackson SS
Deer Park Jr & Sr PS
Glenview Sr PS
Bloor CI
Harbord CI
Humberside CI
Lawrence Park CI
Malvern CI
Northern SS
Oakwood CI
Parkdale CI
RH King Academy
Stephen Leacock CI
Western Technical-Commercial School
Westview Centennial
