In a June 23 media release, the Halton District School Board (HDSB) announced that, on June 2, “trustees approved a plan to relocate Gary Allan Learning Centre…and declare the remainder of the Robert Bateman High School facility surplus to its needs.” Amy Collard, HDSB trustee for Ward 5, commented that she has “championed the idea of moving Gary Allan H.S. to the Bateman site since the decision to close Bateman was made in 2017.” Bateman High School is located at 5151 New Street, and Centennial Pool is located at the east end of the building. At this point, the school board plans to retain about 45,000 square feet for adult, alternative and continuing education programs. The use of the remainder of the space — about 167,000 square feet — will now follow a process that is provincially regulated by Ontario Regulation 444/98.
The City of Burlington is one of the “government and/or educational” public agencies that can submit expressions of interest at this time. Burlington has indicated that an expression of interest to purchase the surplus Bateman High School site will be made, with plans to explore a partnership with Brock University for programming. “In the fall of 2020, Brock University signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work with the City of Burlington to relocate the programming currently offered on its Hamilton campus to Burlington.” In an email notice from the City of Burlington, Dr. Lynn Wells, provost and vice-president, academic, for Brock University is quoted: “Brock has experienced tremendous enrolment growth from students living in the Burlington area.”
Relocating the New Appleby public library branch to the site will also be considered, which could result in a “hub for learning and education.” The New Appleby branch is currently located at 676 Appleby Line within Appleview Plaza. The library branches nearest to the Bateman H.S. site are Tansley Woods, just east of Walker’s Line on the south side of Upper Middle Road, and the main Central branch on New Street, west of Guelph Line. The Bateman H.S. site would be the furthest east of the library branches, and is located on a bus route, which is an added bonus for students and community residents.
Residents are commenting on various Facebook pages, as the school site is an important one for residents in southeast Burlington, and more broadly. Some note that the Bateman name should remain, given the artist’s status in Canadian art, and that the space would make an excellent location for a community centre that is lacking in this part of the city.
While Burlington already has one post-secondary institution, the DeGroote School of Business at the Ron Joyce Centre, the refreshed 2015–2040 strategic plan specifically sets out the outcome of attaining a new post-secondary institution by 2030 to work towards increasing the economic prosperity and community-responsive growth management in Burlington. If the city is successful with Brock University and in pursuit of space at the Bateman H.S. site, another initiative in the strategic plan could be realized.
Sources:
City of Burlington. Url: https://www.burlington.ca/en/services-for-you/resources/Ongoing_City _Projects/Vision-to-Focus/19-609-CM-Burlingtons-Plan-From-Vision-to-Focus-Sept-V2-WEB.pdf (accessed June 28, 2021).
