Richmond School
This page consolidates the ongoing Richmond Elementary School story, as postings on this important topic were obscuring any others on our main page. We'll continue to provide brief articles on our home page pointing to here as events move forward.
Ministry of Education: School Building Closure and Disposal Policy
Posted January 24, 2010
The reaction to provincial school districts disposing of closed schools with minimal or no input from the community prompted our Provincial government to set out the School Building Closure and Disposal Policy.
The polict statement itself reads as:
If a Board of Education no longer requires property for educational purposes, the Board must seek the approval of the Minister prior to disposing of the property by sale and transfer or by a lease of 10 years or more, unless the Board is selling or leasing land or buildings to another board (including the Conseil scolaire francophone) or independent school for educational purposes.
Boards of education must engage in broad consultation and in enhanced planning regarding underutilized school buildings and other property owned by boards prior to property disposition.
Margaret Jenkins student body relocated to Richmond School
Posted January 24, 2008 by Sheila Critch, President, CCA
The SD61 Board approved the relocation of Margaret Jenkins students at Monday's meeting, so it's official that Margaret Jenkins (EMJS) will temporarily relocate to the Richmond School site for the 2008-2009 school year.
Here is the official notice on the PAC site: http://www.emjspac.ca/. There is link to a letter from the principal to parents, which explains some of the details.
Richmond School Lands - Urgent Notice
Posted April 13, 2007
The following communication was emailed today to subscribers of the CCA mailing list. It is presented here in its entirety:
Dear Neighbours,
Thank you to the many residents who came out to the School Board Operations committee meeting last night to support their community. Your thoughtful comments and support were truly appreciated.
The battle over the Richmond lands is far from over and there may well be another showdown with Trustees, which will require the kind of community support we received last night. Keep in touch with our website for developments, as the next few weeks will be critical.
We also wish to alert you to two related opportunities at Saanich Council next week.
We would also like to make you aware of some further updates on the Richmond school property:
1) Monday, April 16, 7:30 pm - Saanich Council will be considering a report introduced by Councilor Judy Brownoff that deals with the sale of school properties. In the report (attached) Councilor Brownoff recommends that:
"Saanich Council request that the Minister responsible develop a more inclusive procedure when public lands are being considered for sale or school closures, that incorporates consultation with the Municipality in which these lands are located so as to evaluate the wider community issue or impacts."
Please consider writing to Saanich Council urging them to support this motion or otherwise express your views. Saanich Council contact info is here: http://www.gov.saanich.bc.ca/contact.html
We also suggest that you copy your letter or email to Education Minister Shirley Bond at: http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/38thParl/bond.htm and the SD61 School Trustees at: http://www.sd61.bc.ca/html/contactus.html (email is: trustees@sd61.bc.ca )
Please request that the SCHOOL BOARD AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING: (Here are the four points presented by Al Lubowski at last night's meeting. Charley Beresford will bring these four points forward, as a motion, before the SB at the next opportunity.)
1. That all the bids for the Richmond School lands be made public;
2. That the selection process be based on criteria to be developed by a task force which includes representation from the Community and Civic agencies having jurisdiction;
3. That this criteria be made public, and;
4. That reasons for selecting the winning bid for the Richmond School lands and reasons for the losing bids being rejected also be made public.
2) Tuesday, April 17, 7:30 pm - Saanich Council is holding a Public Hearing regarding some amendments to the Shelbourne Local Area Plan, the community plan that encompasses Richmond School. Council will consider whether to revise the "Parks and Open Space" map so that it shows the Richmond School fields (and other institutional properties adjacent to Bowker Creek) as "potential park/open space". A copy of the report is attached. Please consider writing and/or attending the Public Hearing to make your views known (contact info here: http://www.gov.saanich.bc.ca/contact.html. Members of the public are entitled to speak at the Public Hearing and do not need to sign up in advance.
Thanks again for your support!
Kathrynn, Al, Liz and Ian
--------------------------------------
North Jubilee Neighourhood Association: njna@victoria.tc.ca
Camosun Community Association: sheilacritch@telus.net
South Jubilee Neighourhood Association:
Friends of Bowker Creek Society: bowkercreek@shaw.ca
Your Help Needed: Richmond School Lands Report
Posted April 2, 2007
Your CCA directors seek your help in
- evaluating responses received from our two public workshops, and
- preparing a strategy and presentation to the Board (based on these workshops)
in time for the April 12, 2007 Operations Committee meeting. Please use the Contact page and let us know that you're willing and ready to assist us.
Contact Your School Board Trustees
Updated April 10, 2007
Should you wish to contact the School Board trustees that are deciding the fate of Richmond School, here's how:
Board of School Trustees
Greater Victoria School District 61
556 Boleskine Road, PO Box 700
Victoria, BC V8W 2R1
Phone: 475-3212
Fax: 475-6161
Email: trustees@sd61.bc.ca
Web: www.sd61.bc.ca
List of Trustees: www.sd61.bc.ca/html/trustees.html
Board agendas/minutes: www.sd61.bc.ca/html/boardmtgs.html
Reminder: April 12 School Board Operations Committee Meeting
Updated April 10, 2007
The School District has scheduled a second Operations Committee Meeting to provide one more chance for the public to speak to trustees and staff on the proposed school property sale.
It's now too late to register to speak at this meeting ("Individuals or groups wishing to make a presentation to the Board must submit any written materials to the school district's Secretary-Treasurer no later than noon on the Wednesday prior to the Board meeting at which they wish to speak."). However, you can send a letter to the Board to express your thoughts on this matter ("Letters addressed to the Board will be included on the public agenda of the upcoming Board meeting. The letter should include the topic as well as the presenter's name and address."), and you can request to speak should there be time left after the registered presentations.
The School Board has posted the agenda for this meeting here.
Please come out and show us your support.
| When | Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm |
| Where | School District 61 Office 556 Boleskin Road (near Douglas) |
2003 School Board said: Schools Slated for Closure Will Not Be Sold
Posted April 1, 2007
For a blast from the past, we're posting this media release (625 KB) in PDF format from the School Board dated May 13, 2003. What the community is saying now in many ways echoes what the Board said then. Makes you wonder what changed their minds regarding a sale, and why they couldn't have involved we the humble electorate when they saw the writing on the wall?
Richmond School Workshops Complete, Survey Continues
Posted April 1, 2007
Last week the CCA, along with the North Jubilee Neighbourhood Association, held the two planned Ideas and Strategy workshops to gather community input on the vision for the Richmond School property's future. Those who participated in these workshops had the opportunity to fill out a survey regarding Richmond School.
This survey is available for those who were unable to attend a workshop here (57 KB) as a PDF document. You can print out this survey and drop it off or send it as snail mail to:
Camosun Community Association c/o 3030 Dean Ave. Victoria, BC V8R 4Y9
If you prefer to send the form electronically, the most common way would be to print it, fill it in, then scan it and email the scanned result to register@camouncommunityassociation.com. Sorry we don't have anything more sophisticated at the moment; if this changes, we'll update this article.
Disappointing Results of School Board Meeting of March 26, 2007
By Al Lubkowski, CCA Land Use Director. Posted Mar.29, 2007
Trustee Charley Beresford's motion for expanding the consultative process for Richmond School to
"...establish a task force which includes representatives from neighbourhood and community organizations, municipal council, and trustees to design a consultation process which incorporates the core values of public participation on the use of Richmond School Lands..."
was defeated by a vote of 5 to 4 (the Chairman has 2 votes).
We are very disappointed by this, since a defeat of this motion means that the community will not now be given "due process" - the opportunity to properly present and discuss our views and ideas (much less a seat at the table) to help decide the fate of our Richmond School lands.
For your information, this is how the voting went:
Voting YES for this Motion were: Trustees Charlie Beresford, Bev Horsman, John Young and Peg Orcherton.
Voting No were: Chairman Michael McEvoy, Trustees Elaine Leonard, Tom Ferris and Mark Walsh.
Had Jim Holland been present he would have voted No also (as he was the author of the "6 point public process" which emasculated the true form and spirit of public process and led to this whole sad affair).
We thought you should know, in case you vote in future elections...
Important School Board Meeting Today!
Posted Mar.26, 2007
School Board Trustee Charley Beresford has prepared a motion for tonight's Board meeting that would expand the consultative process for Richmond School. A big turnout of community members will help to convince the trustees this change is needed, and to adopt the motion.
The gist of the motion is to, "...establish a task force which includes representatives from neighbourhood and community organizations, municipal council, and trustees to design a consultation process which incorporates the core values of public participation on the use of Richmond School Lands..." The complete motion can be read here (15 KB) in PDF format.
Hope to see you at the meeting!
| When | Monday, March 26, 2007 at 8:00 pm |
| Where | School District 61 Office 556 Boleskin Road (near Douglas) |
Sale of Richmond School?
Posted Mar.22, 2007
Your North Jubilee Neighbourhood Association and Camosun Community Association think that you care about the fate of the Richmond Elementary School property. So, we've organized two Ideas & Strategy Workshops to gather your input and ideas on this topic.
| When | Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 7:30 pm |
| Where | CNIB Building 2340 Richmod Road (west entrance) |
| When | Thursday, March 29, 2007 at 7:30 pm |
| Where | Room 216, Young Building,
Camosun College |
The School District has scheduled a second Operations Committee Meeting to provide one more chance for the public to speak to trustees and staff on the proposed school property sale. You will need to have permission to speak at this meeting. We'll post information on how to register with the School District to speak at this meeting when we have it.
You can send us an email if you would like to be on the CCA email list. This list is used to distribute CCA newsletters and important communications electronically. Over time, we'd like this list to help us reduce newsletter production costs.
| When | Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm |
| Where | School District 61 Office 556 Boleskin Road (near Douglas) |
School District Invites Public to Discuss Richmond School Site Uses
Posted Mar.7, 2007
The Greater Victoria School District will host a public meeting to discuss the disposition of the Richmond Elementary School property. The School District has invited interested members of the public to attend this Operations Planning and Policy Meeting in order to gather neighbourhood and community input about potential uses for the site. The School District notice of this meeting is here.
| When | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 7:30 pm |
| Where | School District Office 556 Boleskine Road (just west of Douglas St. and Saanich Rd. intersection) |
Update on Richmond School Property
Posted Feb.27, 2007
CCA Land Use Director Al Lubkowski writes about the latest action around School District 61's proposed sale of the former Richmond Elementary School property. Things are looking up for the community to have a say in how all this goes forward! Read Al's update here in PDF format (13 KB).
Letter to SD 61
Posted Feb.22, 2007
CCA, together with the North Jubilee Neighbourhood Association, the Friends of Bowker Creek, and the South Jubilee Neighbourhood Association, sent a letter to the School District 61 board of trustees to express shared concerns about the former Richmond Elementary School property being put up for sale, and the process leading up to this event. The letter, which you can read here in PDF format (286KB), is dated Feb. 7, 2007 and was sent to the trustees in advance of the Feb.19, 2007 School Board meeting.
Update on Richmond School Property
Posted Feb.17, 2007
An update on the status of the Richmond Elementary School property has been provided by CCA President Sheila Critch. You can read it here in Word format (36KB) or here in PDF format (19KB).
Notable Dates
| September 12 2010 | Bike Skills and Safety Course 2010 |
| September 19 2010 | Bike Skills and Safety Course 2010 |
| October 2 2010 | Bike Skills and Safety Course 2010 |
| October 17 2010 | Bike Skills and Safety Course 2010 |
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Links
- District of Saanich
- City of Victoria
- Corporation of the District of Oak Bay
- Corporation of the Township of Esquimalt
- Saanich Community Associations
