Private School
Government Funding Debate
Hits The Airwaves
Pretty River Academy Funding Discussed
On CBC Radio's Ontario Morning Program
The Pretty River Academy has received provincial and federal funding to build a soccer field at the west end Collingwood private school.
Mayor Carrier Will Not Support Idea Of
The Town Withdrawing Support
Of Pretty River Academy Funding Application
Collingwood Mayor Chris Carrier says that he will not support the idea of the town of Collingwood withdrawing its support of a funding application made by the Pretty River Academy. Simcoe-Grey MP Helena Guergis was in Collingwood recently to announce that the Pretty River Academy will receive a provincial and federal cheque in the amount of $253,227 under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program and Recreation Ontario. The provincial government matched the figure meaning the federal and provincial governments have granted $523,000 in total to Pretty River Academy in Collingwood. The private school will use the funding to build a soccer field.
The funding announcement has triggered various responses from Collingwood residents and on Monday, August 10th, was a topic for discussion on CBC's Ontario Morning radio program. Ontario Morning, hosted by Wei Chen, provides information to listeners throughout Southern Ontario outside of Toronto, from Sarnia in the west to Cornwall in the east, to Parry Sound in the north, and to parts of the Upper Ottawa Valley.
Collingwood resident Lorne Kenney was a guest on the program, as was Collingwood Mayor Chris Carrier.
Mr. Kenney questions why this funding would be awarded to a private school, and why the Town of Collingwood would support such an application. Kenney represents a newly formed group called "Citizens For Public Infrastructure" and has started an online petition.
"This is something that has just touched the third rail of the public's consciousness here in Collingwood and I suspect that it will resonate throughout the province and perhaps across the country, the notion that public resources would go to a private school, to build for 156 relatively privileged children a soccer field when we have plenty of them in the town" Kenney said in response to Chen's question as to why the online petition was created. "We would like to see the government of Canada and the government on Ontario withdraw the grants and redistribute them to facilities that would be in the public domain that all citizens could enjoy" Kenney said.
Host Wei Chen asked Kenney if the school had indicated that the public would be able to use the new soccer field. "They apparently are indicating that it might be available on a rental basis, when the school is finished with it for the day, but the bottom line is that the field would be on their private property and access would be based on whatever terms and conditions that they decide to set" Kenney said.
Mr. Kenney stated that he has taken the time to go through all 767 grants that have been made in Ontario under the program. "This is the only instance of one that I can find that involves a private school or any institution that is not open to the public like the YMCA" Kenney said. When Chen pointed out that the school is a "not for profit" organization, Kenney quickly pointed out that other similar "not for profit" organizations would include Upper Canada College, St. Andrew's College and all of the other private schools.
"The Person Who Had The Best Chance To Prevent
This Travesty Was Our MP"
- Lorne Kenney, on CBC's Ontario Morning
Ontario Morning host Wei Chen wondered who Kenney held most responsible for the awarding of the grants to the private school, the Pretty River Academy. "Well I think the person who had the best chance to prevent this travesty was our MP, Helena Guergis" Kenny said. She however actually went to the Pretty River Academy with the big, oversized cheque, and made the presentation and took credit for bringing it and raked the political hay shall we say, and then turned around and argued that this was a wise use of public resourses" Kenney said in response to Chen's question. "If you want to think that this might have been a bureaucratic decision gone haywire, she at least had the opportunity to make it right, to correct it to prevent it from going forward" Kenney added.
Chen wondered why the town of Collingwood's Director of Leisure Services would write a letter of support for the Pretty River Academy application. "We feel we have been betrayed by all three levels of government" was Kenney's response. "The decision by the town of Collingwood official to send forward that letter actually torpedoed the town's own application" Kenney added.
Mayor Chris Carrier also appeared on the Ontario Morning program. Host Wei Chen asked Carrier how he responded to the fact that the town's Leisure Services Director wrote a letter endorsing the application.
"Well I was unaware of their application and I was somewhat surprised that I was not copied on the letter, and that our Chief Administrative Officer wasn't copied on the letter, but once I saw the letter, it is certainly an endorsement from the Leisure Services Department of the Town of Collingwood" Carrier answered. "The Leisure Services Director, Peter Dunbar, is our expert on Leisure Services and is certainly aware of the needs of the community and the fact that this grant application met with our various policies throughout the town, he sent a letter of endorsement. In that respect I have no issue with it" Carrier responded.
"We have partnerships with various organizations and I have no issue with the criteria being followed here"
- Mayor Chris Carrier on CBC's Ontario Morning
CBC Ontario Morning host Wei Chen asked Mayor Carrier if he thought that it was appropriate for the town's Leisure Services Director to endorse a private facility application when the town was applying for the same grants. "I think the municipality has a number of strategic partners across the community. The Environment Network is one, another not-for-profit group, and the municipality advances money to this organization each and every year. We have partnerships with various organizations and I have no issue with the criteria being followed here" Carrier said. Carrier explained why the town's applications for funding were turned down. "We recently received some dialogue back and I think most people are aware that there were 1500 applications totaling 1.5 billion dollars when there was approximately 380 million dollars available so a lot of people were turned down in their applications. The Collingwood harbour wall did not meet the terms and conditions, as it is not a recreational facility, and as such it was deemed an ineligible project, and then the outdoor rink for which we asked for a roof to cover the outdoor rink, the project did not receive a high rating on the project selection criteria because all of the permits and approvals have yet to be secured" Carrier said.
Carrier said that he wasn't sure why the Pretty River Academy's soccer field application was approved for funding. "It's difficult with the number of applications that went through to get all of the feedback on the various grants, but I'm sure the Pretty River Academy could shed some light on that, but I'm going to suggest that because they are a not-for-profit group, and propose a community facility where the community will have access to the facility I'm told through a reciprocal use agreement, as we know through the summertime when the kids are not in school that's when a lot of soccer is played, and in the evenings, so I'm confident that the strength of the relationship between the town of Collingwood and the Pretty River Academy, that we'll have such an agreement in place" Carrier added.
In response to Chen's question as to whether citizens of Collingwood will be able to use the new soccer field without having to pay a fee, Carrier said that user fees are already a part of life not only in Collingwood but in most communities. "We have what we call general taxation user fees in the town of Collingwood. Whether you play minor hockey, minor baseball or soccer, there are user fees attached to it. My understanding is that the rental fee will incorprate that the user fee schedule will be met, and we'll certainly be talking about the way that the fee will be charged" Carrier said.
The online petition is calling for the town of Collingwood to renounce its support for the grants. Mayor Carrier said the matter will have to be discussed at the council table. "There has been no question posed to the municipal council and I'm only one of nine elected members of that municipal council, and it will be a decision of council. I'm a "no." I will not support that request" Carrier said.