Is there a middle ground where the City of Barrie and the Simcoe County District School Board could meet to settle a dispute over the location of a new secondary school in Barrie's southend?
That's what Councillor Mike McCann is hoping to accomplish with his plan to invite the board to mediation/arbitration sessions aimed at deciding where the building will be constructed.
The city wants the school located on the north side of the property at Prince William Way and Mapleview Drive. The school board wants it built on the south side of the site.
Recently, city council rejected the board's site plan for the school and without approval, the process is stalled.
McCann says this is the most important decision he has made as a city councillor.
"Arbitration ix the best solution," he said, before his motion to send a letter to the SCDSB was approved unanimously at Monday's council meeting.
"We need to be building the school together. We owe it to Ward 10 to have the school built as soon as possible.
"This has been going back and forth for a year."
John Dance, superintendent of facilities at the SCDSB says after the city rejected the site plan, the board directed staff to create a few options.
Those suggestions will be presented to trustees in the coming weeks.
The board plan to build a 135,625 square foot, split-level school for approximately 1,000 students, including two sports fields, rubber running track, parking and room for 15 portables.
Mayor Jeff Lehman says he has spoken with school trustees recently and believes mediation/arbitration is a good next step.
"There is a desire to get past the impasse we are at," he said.
If the two cannot agree on a plan through mediation, then an arbitrator who is a "subject matter expert" will decide on the location and that ruling would be binding on both sides.
"Let's put the politicing asside ... and come to a decision that is going to be fast and less costly," McCann said. "Let's meet in the middle and do what's right for the kids and the community as a whole."
