Photo: The map above shows the most likely location for a future public high school at the south-west corner of Robert Grant Avenue and Cope Drive
Editor’s note: The following is a press release from Carleton PC MPP Goldie Ghamari. It’s a little unclearly worded, but she clarified via email this confirms funding for Stittsville’s public school. In July, Ghamari tweeted: “The public high school’s status has been a top priority since the election. Our government is doing a line-by-line audit to ensure funds promised by the Liberals actually exist & I’ll have a formal update soon.”
QUEEN’S PARK – Carleton’s MPP Goldie Ghamari received official notice today from the Hon. Minister of Education, Lisa Thompson, regarding the status of the proposed public high school for Stittsville.
“For the past 2 years, Stittsville’s families and residents have told me how frustrated they have been with the lack of a local public high school,” Goldie stated. “This issue is so important, not only to the community, but also to me, that on April 5th 2018 I hosted a public meeting about the need for a public high school in Stittsville. A public high school in Stittsville is long overdue.”
In January 2018, the ministry approved $37.37 million to the Ottawa Carleton District School Board for a new 1,353 pupil place high school in Stittsville. The Ottawa Carleton District School Board is expecting to begin construction in Fall 2019 and the new school is expected to open in September 2021.
“After 15 years being ignored by the previous Government, the residents of Stittsville deserve better. I have received dozens of inquiries, phone calls, emails and in person questions on the status of the public high school. I am very pleased to have received an official response from the Ministry in just 60 days. This is a government with a clear mandate to work hard for the people and to get things done. I promised to be a strong voice for the residents of Stittsville and all across Carleton, and I look forward to continuing to deliver on this promise.”
Moving forward, the school board would be in the best position to provide updates throughout the project’s development.
Good news, but sad that Councillor Ghamari was unable to issue a clear press release, free of political advertising.
You seem to be turning this publication into a rather partisan outlet for the current MPP. I don’t recall you posting verbatim press releases from the previous MPP with the inclusion of a rant against the government of the day. If this were an announcement about new funding for a school then well and good but she is taking credit for a school project that has already been announced and that was in the works for years with the planning done by the very government she disparages.
Just a question: If the previous government was ignoring Stittsville, then how did $37M in funding for this school get approved by them in January of this year? It takes years to plan, approve and build a school and the current government is implementing the previous government’s plan and spending the same funds that were allocated by their predecessors. What exactly is different?? I don’t see where they’ve gone through the $37M plan to see if all that spending is necessary or if there are frills that can be trimmed down. Now that would be news.
It’s valid news, republishing a press release from a public official and clearly marking that it’s their own words doesn’t make us a partisan outlet.
I am happy about the school but feel it will be over populated with the kanata south residences as it is positioned on their border not stittsville…. we should have something more central to our kids needs especially for locations for they kids to get to after school work and co-op etc without transportation…. down at that other end there is nothing in close proximity for the kids of “stittsville”.
Off stittsville main or off hazeldran would have main more sense…. with a majot bus route at least t9 accompany the kids.
And Ghamari, I agree with others… dont take the credit for something others have been working endlessly on for years… but great job MPs for finally succeeding.
Everyone is always looking to criticize. Let’s just be thankful that we are finally getting a much needed public secondary school. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who makes the announcement as long as the job gets done.
The high school comes too late for my child. However I do agree that it is at the far end of the Stittsville South-East boundary near Kanata.
As we all know a new school will be filled as soon as it opens (generally) in these newer developed areas and trailers are put in the next summer for overflow. For 16 years we have been fighting for this?
It’s too bad this new high school will not be providing adequate sex education to its new students, thanks to our current government.
Hopefully a government that cares about all its citizens will be elected by the time it opens.