By Staff
February 15th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board’s Accessibility Plan calls for:
Reasonable provision shall be made to provide accessibility to each building, each building floor space and all types of student program space within each floor space for persons with disabilities such as physical mobility disabilities, visual impairment and hearing impairment.
The total cost to get the high schools to the boards standard is $10,326,837
In a report to the board assessments on the cost of getting the high schools up to the board standard were based on the following information:
Aldershot High School is a grade 7–12 school with a gross floor area (GFA) of approximately 143,000 sq. ft. Originally constructed in the mid-1900s, it is a 2 storey school with additional level changes at various locations on the ground floor. The 2nd floor is accessed by a limited access limited use elevator (LULA) and stair lifts have been installed to address access issues to the various levels of the school. Washrooms appear to have been upgraded but are still below current accessibility standards. The total budget to implement accessibility recommendations is $1,565,066
Burlington Central High School is a 3 storey grade 7-12 school with a GFA of approximately 158,000 sq.ft. The original building was constructed in 1922 and has been added to over the years. The last major addition added a new technical wing and gymnasiums. The auditorium has been upgraded with new seats and equipment. There are currently floor areas of the building that are only accessible by stairs, necessitating both a new elevator and stair lifts for accessibility to all floor areas. The total budget to implement accessibility recommendations is $3,186,106
Lester B. Pearson High School was constructed in 1976. It is a 2 storey school that currently has a single storey ‘porta-pak’ addition that is not in use. The GFA including the porta-pak is approximately 113,000 sq. ft. The 2nd floor is currently accessed by a LULA elevator. The total budget to implement accessibility recommendations is
$1,538,114
M.M. Robinson High School was constructed in 1963. A recent renovation has created a large entrance foyer and includes a full size elevator that provides access to all floor areas. It is a 3 storey school with a GFA of approximately 214,000 sq. ft. The school includes a large wing outfitted for special needs education and several technical shops. The special needs wing is equipped with accessible features that buildings of this age do not often include. The total budget to implement accessibility recommendations is
$1,396,676
Nelson High School was constructed in 1957. The school is a two story building with a GFA of approximately 168,000 sq. ft. 2nd floor areas and a small music wing are currently accessible by LULA elevators. The total budget to implement accessibility recommendations is $1,715,241
Robert Bateman High School was constructed in 1970 (then called Lord Elgin High School). It is a 2 storey school with a GFA of approximately 213,000 sq. ft. The second floor space is accessed by a full sized compliant elevator. The school includes teaching space for many service-related courses, in a variety of technologies and the culinary arts. The school also has a large special needs wing on the ground floor that has several accessibility features in place. The total budget to implement accessibility recommendations is $925,634
If Central and Pearson were closed that cost would be reduced by $4,724,220 for a total of $5,602,617
The information was given to the 14 members of the PARC who are preparing a report to the Director of Education who will in turn prepare a report for the trustees who will make a decision if any o the high schools should be closed and if so – which high schools would be closed.
There are 1800 plus high school classroom seats in Burlington that do not have students in them.
I seriously question these numbers. There should be an outside review and talks should halt until they are all confirmed. Nobody can proceed on false numbers.
I also think that the impact on local businesses in the downtown core of Central were to close. High school students and people traveling to Central are most likely the reason they are still in business. If there is a “revitalization” of the core committee, I sure hope they are involved and have a vote. Closing Central will kill the already dying businesses in the area. The mayor should absolutely get involved to defend the core.
I don’t trust or believe anything that the Board says. Their attitude is let’s just drive this through as quickly as possible, ignore the students and pay lip service to the downtown community. By selling Central they get a quick fix for their long term financial mismanagement and incompetence.
These numbers seem excessive to the point of abusive of the public. I dont buy for one minute that the costs are justified, nor agree that the standards are realistic. There are perfectly functional, safe and dignified options for accessibility at a minute fraction of these costs. Accomodation of people with disabilities takes many forms – not all of it involves expensive concrete ramps and elevators. Some is simply changing or adapting the location of rooms to suit the needs of the individuals. It’s time to challenge the numbers and critically think about the most cost effective way to tackle this issue.
Do you know how much it would cost to make Central accessible?
I agree with the comments of Concerned Parent….The School Board should have been upgrading Burlington Central through the years. My question is how were they accommodating these students if no upgrade in Accessibility has been taking place?
It is quite interesting that in all these years since the AODA Act of 2005 and the Board’s Accessibility Plan has been in place, Nelson was in fact provided with a Second Elevator in very short order (over the course of one summer) while Central was not provided with a lift in an existing available and accommodating space at any point in the past 94 years. Who is responsible at the Board for these decisions? Who at the Board decided that Nelson should have a second accommodation for accessibility before all other schools were equipped even with their first? How has the Ministry allowed these decisions to move forward? Not to appear cynical, but the plan to close Central seems to have had roots years before the Board’s Option 19 was tabled last October. When glaring omissions such as these are seen, it begs a lot of questions as to motive and history.