Councillor asks for more information on school closure

Courtesy y Global News Peterborough

By Cecilia Nasmith

News of the potential closure of St. Michael's Elementary School has made Cobourg Councillor Miriam Mutton uneasy.

Mutton's motion to ask staff to make periodic reports back to council to keep them up to date passed at Wednesday's council meeting.

Mutton was referring to correspondence from the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic School Board mentioning the Cobourg school's June 26 closure, “subject to completion of capital improvements at Notre Dame Catholic Elementary School.” The letter also mentioned revised boundaries for Notre Dame and St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School.

Mutton lamented that Cobourg is losing all its downtown elementary schools, and referred to recent changes in provincial legislation and the takeover of certain school boards by the province.

She recalled the closure of Thomas Gillbard Public School more than 20 years ago

“The town was going to purchase it as a downtown seniors' centre,” Mutton recalled. In the end, the school board sold it – for less money than the town was offering – to a private developer.

In the case of St. Michael's, she wondered, “would we like part of it as a basic space for local families? I am sure the Diocese might have something to say with regard for parking for their church.

“It's an important location in the downtown, and I think the Town of Cobourg and Cobourg council needs to be part of the answer.”