Same lot, different spot: Dad 'disappointed' with J. H. Sissons school vote

J. H. Sissons school in Yellowknife should remain standing while construction of the new school happenssomewhere else on the same lot, the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1) board voted Tuesday night in a special meeting.

It was a four to three vote, with most of the debate centred around two topics: displacing kids and destroying the playground.

The alternate spots include the parking lot and the area where the current playground exists.

The board could have recommended the school be built on the existing location, but that would have meant displacing the students during construction.

It would not onlyimpact the students, staff, and parents at Sissons, but alsoother schools in the district.

The schools do not have enough room to take in about 16 classrooms of Sissons students over two years, and itwould take roughlyfour portables to house the students.

That wouldcost roughly $1.5 million.

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"Parents were very concerned about the impact on education," said John Stephenson, chair of the YK1 board. "Trustees were in a majority in supporting that position to build on the site and continue to use the school."

TheYK1board vote is a recommendation; it's up to the territorial government to make the final decision.

'I'm disappointed,' says dad

One parent didn't agree with the board's vote.

"I'm disappointed because I believe that the board came up with a sub-optimum decision,"saidTamlinGilbert.

"I've read the report by the architects and I thought that their conclusion that the site was best located on the existing school site was the best choice."

He said that's because it had the least impact on the school grounds and it would have the best impact on the children in the long run.

The board's decision goes against the recommendations of the territorial government and of the consulting architects.

Gilbert said by discountingrecommendations from the territory's Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the board may have slowed down the process of building the new school, because they may have to come up with a new plan.

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