Residents rallying to save Colonel By

The Beacon Hill North Community Association is hosting a public meeting at the high school on Wednesday, April 1. A public slogan and theme meant to demonstrate how important the school is to the community will be unveiled.

A community-based group, known as the accommodation review committee (ARC), have been tasked with deciding whether to close Rideau, Gloucester or Colonel By high schools. The process is nearing its end and the group is expected to make a recommendation to trustees in June.

Several options have already been proposed, each of which would see the closure of a different high school, or a closure of middle schools and a 7-12 structure at the local high schools.

The accommodation review was sparked by low enrolment at Rideau High School, according to board documents. The board’s draft capital plan originally scheduled a review of the Beacon Hill-Ottawa East area schools for 2013, but enrolment at Rideau has declined faster than projected over the past few years. “While there is no doubt that the specific situation at Rideau High School needs to be addressed, enrolment at Gloucester High School is also projected to continue to decline,” board staff noted.

Rideau High School is expected to be at 48.2 per cent capacity during the next school year while Gloucester is projected to be at 51 per cent capacity. “It is clear some form of consolidation should take place,” staff wrote in their report to the board’s business services committee, dated April 9, 2008.

Colonel By, however, is expected to be over capacity at 121 per cent, requiring five portables on site.

Trustees are expected to make a final decision before the new year. The Beacon Hill North community meeting will take place at Colonel By High School on Wednesday, April 1 at 7 p.m.