Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 06, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page b5 Winnipeg repress. Com City Winnipeg free press monday october 6, 2008 b 5 a tiny pocket of 19 Homes on Parker Avenue that somehow ended up in Winnipeg school division could be transferred to Pembina trails school division. If the homeowners want to go. Parker is South of the train tracks and West of Pembina Highway opposite the Jubilee overpass. No one knows How it ended up in Winnipeg school division decades ago instead of in Pembina trails which runs from the perimeter All the Way up to the train tracks with the notable exception of 34 Homes on Parker said wed Secretary treasurer Rene appelmans. Parker is a unique situation in Many ways he said. Some of these boundaries were developed a Long time ago. There Are 34 Homes on Parker which Falls within wed. Some homeowners have already successfully gone before the provincial Board of reference and have been moved into Pembina trails. Fifteen have been transferred and there Are another 19 properties appelmans said. Typically it was one at a time. Appleman said the two divisions Are negotiating a joint application to Transfer the remaining 19 properties although the homeowners could Tell a hearing if they want to change school divisions. The most recent property to change divisions occurred when a family whose children attended general Byng school moved a few blocks North to Parker Only to discover that they no longer lived in Pembina trails. Children living on Parker can walk a few blocks South to general Byng or Ralph Maybank school without crossing major roadways. However their wed school for English elementary is lord Roberts which is across Pembina Highway and several blocks East on Jubilee. Their French immersion elementary school is j. B. Mitchell and Grant Park is their High school and Junior High both of which require crossing the train tracks Waverley or Stafford Street As Well As Taylor and or Grant Avenue. However Parker residents going to French immersion or High school in Pembina trails would go several blocks South and Cross Pembina for elementary and Junior High As Well As Mcgillivray for High school. We dont run into these very often appelmans said. The Board of reference generally Only allows properties on the Borders of school divisions to switch for educational reasons such As Access to a program not available through schools of Choice proximity to a school in the neighbouring division or busing and Access. The Board of reference is not enthusiastic about allowing property owners to switch just to find lower property taxes though Parker families will find their tax Bills dropping in Pembina trails. Nick. Martin free press. My. Ca Pat Martin has seen for himself what a Lack of Green space has meant to Gordon Bell High school. Martins son Corey transferred out of the inner City school in the mid 1990s to play football at Kelvin High school in River Heights. Now the new Democrat my is trying to give Gordon Bell a Field of its own. Martin who is running for re election in the Riding of Winnipeg Centre wants to meet with officials of Canada Post to convince the Crown corporation to sell a plot of land adjacent to Gordon Bell that it bought last year. Gordon Bell has Only a paved Yard on the Maryland Street Side of the building no athletic Field no track no Green space. Canada Post intends to build its new downtown letter Carrier depot on the triangular property at the intersection of Broadway and Portage Avenue the former site of the Midway Chrysler car Dealership. Ism going to Appeal to Canada posts civic mindedness and ask them to consider releasing their option on this property As a gesture of Goodwill to the Community said Martin. As the areas my Martin had been briefed about Canada posts plans to buy the land. But the Federal election candidate said he hoped to talk to officials this week about Selling the land to the Winnipeg school division for the use of Gordon Bell students. This is a school thatus bursting at the seams and the Only recreation Field is a Patch of Asphalt Martin said. Community activists recently raised the Issue of the absence of Fields on Gordon Belles property even publishing a piece about the effect of a Concrete schoolyard on students. Last year Gordon Bell had 959 students in grades 7 to 12. The Winnipeg school division acknowledged efforts to Plant a grass Field next door to the school have come exclusively from the Community. But a spokeswoman admitted school officials would consider a new Field unbelievably wonderful. A spokeswoman for Canada Post said construction of the new depot was scheduled to begin next year and added that school officials would have to make a formal demand for the land in question. We realize weave purchased a prime piece of real estate said Kathi Neal. Its perfect for our needs. Unless theress a formal proposal we cant really respond to Calls for a school Field Joe. Paraskevas free press. My. Camp wants grass Field planted at Gordon Bell by Joe Paraskevas neighbourhood May be switching school divisions by Nick Martin a 05_ oct 06 08. Ind b5 1 0/ 5/ 08 6 25 55 pm ;