N.B. communities shouldn’t panic about future of schools: district education council chair

The New Brunswick government is considering closing some schools to save money.

Petitions with hundreds of signatures are popping up in some communities across New Brunswick, started mostly by parents concerned about their community school’s future.

Riverside Consolidated, with its plumbing and ventilation systems, was considered one of the finest schools in the country when it opened in 1905, according to the nearby Albert County Museum.

Still standing and occupied after 121 years, it remains a place of pride for its 50 students and the greater Riverside-Albert Community.

“Its closure would not only disrupt the education of our children but also tear apart the social fabric of our community,” the petition reads.

Their concern stems from the provincial government’s pre-budget consultation exercise that has listed ways it could either save money, or make more, in order to combat New Brunswick’s difficult financial situation.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Rene Legacy revealed the current deficit sits at $1.3 billion – more than ever before.

“If I could find one item that had a $1-billion price tag on it, we could decide on it either fix or not, that would be the easy answer,” he said. “We don’t. We have to look at everything.”

Of the almost 300 schools in New Brunswick, approximately 10 per cent are operating below 30 per cent capacity.

Closing a school takes time, a feasibility study, consultations with the community, including three public education council meetings, a vote by the council, and approval by the education minister.

Anglophone East education council chair Dominic Vautour says his council isn’t supporting the closure of any of his district’s schools.

“We as a district education council will fight for community schools. Community schools mean a lot of things. It’s not just an education building, it’s a community building,” he said.

There are three schools in his district with fewer than 100 students: Riverside, Havelock and Dorchester.

All three communities have petitions made with hundreds of signatures showing support for their individual schools.

But Vautour says, at this point, there’s no need to panic.

“Having consulted with the minister, it’s clear that this is an exercise where they’re looking at everything around the province. So it’s not an exercise where everybody should be panicked right away. There will be a time for panic if and when we get there. We are nowhere near that point,” he said.

Eleven years ago, a handful of schools closed despite community pressure under the Brian Gallant government, including Lorne Middle School, Pennfield Elementary School, Bath Middle School, Browns Flat Elementary and Coles Island School.

Vautour hopes people will participate in the province’s pre-budget consultation survey, which closes Friday.

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