Pilot project gives students opportunity to learn: Government building will be shared with nearby school district
Nanaimo Daily News
By Robert Barron
April 7, 2009

The inclusion of a new Port Alberni high school in the Ministry of Education's pilot Neighbourhoods of Learning program is being watched carefully in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith district.

School board chairwoman Donna Allen said the concept of sharing use of government buildings, like schools, with community organizations "makes a lot of sense," particularly in school districts like Nanaimo-Ladysmith that are dealing with excess space due to declining enrolment.

She said it's still unclear how the "nuts and bolts" of the program will work and how it can be implemented in Nanaimo….

The Alberni school district … which could see community uses as diverse as early learning or child-care programs, space for non-profit organizations, health clinics, sports programs, family resource or seniors' centres, industry training and branch libraries alongside classrooms in the district's new high school….

The majority of Nanaimo-Ladysmith's school board campaigned in November's election to not close any more schools in the district due to declining enrolment and have scuttled a ministry-approved facilities plan that included the closure of Nanaimo District Secondary School.