January 21, 2015 Honourable Liz Sandals, Minister of Education 14th Floor, Mowat Block 900 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M7A 1L2 RE: NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL IN OTTAWA’s FINDLAY CREEK COMMUNITY. Dear Minister, | am writing as the newly elected City of Ottawa Councillor for Gloucester South Nepean (Ward 22), to appeal to you for urgent support for funding of a new primary school in the large and rapidly growing community of Findlay Creek. The commitment to build this school was a major factor in the rapid growth of Findlay Creek, and the long promised but repeatedly delayed project is creating great concern among all residents. | understand that this year the Ministry of Education will consider and determine funding regarding a list of eight new schools for the Province’s Capital Funding Program in Ottawa, as submitted and prioritized by the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). The OCDSB recently changed their priority ranking for the proposed school in Findlay Creek from third, to fifth, and finally to eighth. My concerns, which are fully shared by the OCDSB Trustee for our community Mark Fisher, and by all residents, are two fold. First, is that the firm assurance made in 2006, and virtually every year since, by the OCDSB to residents that a new primary school in Findlay Creek would be completed by 2014 has not been realized. This assurance has led many residents to move here to raise and school their young children, but now appears in serious doubt as a result of this unforeseen change by the Board, ~12 cel sh cael ogsh Carlet ovceseSuth Noten Cries lesen Sl TO tne dee West 118 vee ater Ov ano, ONKIP nts on re Terti3sso2rs rae 5002751 Foe 63 5802761 eee ft) 360278 inal bio Oagihdoravaca Coie Moe Oasnotauaca Webte:wmchaeeagéhcom Se We yenumichargngsh conSecond, is that the existing school serving Findlay Creek students , Elizabeth Park Public School, (which in 2012 served 180 students from our community) is slated to close in 2017. This closure is escalating residents concerns over the potential prospect of long distance busing of young and vulnerable children to attend distant schools. The case for the new Findlay Creek primary school is well understood by officials in your stry. It and has been well documented and is compelling. in a short period of time | have personally watched this community grow from fourteen hundred homes in 2011 to roughly two thousand homes in mid 2014. Furthermore, It is important to note, that a survey conducted by the community association in 2012 showed that seventy four children under the age of four would have attended the new school if it been opened as was planned in 2014. This is a young and very diverse community with a genuine sense of cohesiveness as is reflected proudly by the active Findlay Creek Community Association. On behalf of the residents of indlay Creek, | am appealing to you and the Ministry of Education, for support to ensure that long delayed project receives the funding required. Sincerely, Michael Qaqish Councillor, Gloucester-South Nepean 2/2