Just over 70 people attended the final public meeting of the Accommodation Review Committee at Walkerton District Secondary School. The committee’s perferred recommendation is to construct a new JK to grade 12 school at the current site of Walkerton District Secondary School. ARC Chair, Dan Wong says the new school would incorporate all three schools — Walkerton District, Brant Central and Walkerton Public — which are subject to close because of low student enrolment. Wong says the new school would be built to address both secondary and elementary requirements. He says a new school would also ensure that a high school remains in Walkerton. The second recommendation is for a JK to grade 12 school as well, but to be incorporated into a renovated WDSS building. Wong says the oldest wing of the school would be demolished and a new 2 storey elementary wing would be constructed. However, Wong says a new build is the best possible business proposal to sell to the Ministry of Education for funding. He says its more economical to spend money on a new build, then to sink money into renovations. Wong says the committtee has also recommended that the school board maintain the Brant Central property as extra green space for the students. The committee will now submit these options to the Bluewater District School Board on May 20th.
