Latest update 3 December 2007 Northern Secondary School Field upgrade update: Request for community support Dear Members of the Northern Secondary School and Local Residential Community, The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has continued to work with stakeholder groups to identify the needs expressed by each group for the upgrade of the playing field at Northern Secondary School. After receiving input from community, parents, staff and students, the Stakeholder Group was encouraged to move forward with the list of consensus items. These items comprise the specifications for the Design Features of the Upgraded Field, as well as the recommended parameters for its usage. Click here to read Trustee Matlow's letter to the community. Northern S.S. - Shop and Support Shop & Support is a gift card purchasing program that allows for an easy way to raise money for your school, and the Clarke Pulford Field Revitalization Project. October 1, 2007
Dear Members of the Northern Secondary School and Local Residential Community,
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has continued to work with stakeholder groups to identify the needs expressed by each group for the upgrade of the playing field at Northern Secondary School. On Thursday May 17, 2007, a community meeting was held to share the wishes of each group with interested members of the community. After receiving input from those in attendance the Stakeholder Group was encouraged to move forward with the list of consensus items. These items comprise the specifications for the Design Features of the Upgraded Field, as well as the recommended parameters for its usage
The Stakeholder Group has finalized the specifications and the Facility Services Department for the Toronto District School Board are working with an architectural firm to put together a Request for Proposals (R.F.P.) to invite contractors to bid on the project. The option selected by the stakeholders Group was an artificial field turf playing surface with a rubberized four lane track around it. The projected cost of this project is over 1.6 million dollars. The stakeholder committee has selected June 2008 as the projected target date to break ground. This date allows the necessary time for tendering and the fund raising that must occur to finance the project.
The stakeholder group is proceeding on the assumption that it has approximately 50% of the funds required committed to the project and is mounting an aggressive fund raising campaign for the remaining funds.
We have established a Fundraising Committee Co-Chaired by Jim Hutton, Physical Education and Athletics Curriculum Leader and Becky Organ, President of the Student Council. The committee is exploring a number of fund raising initiatives and will inform the community the details of fundraising, as plans are finalized. Some of the initiatives being considered include: an alumni and community donation program, recycling laser ink cartridges, an NSS credit card, corporate sponsors, a barbecue, an auction, a raffle and a 24 hour relay team event.
If you are interested in assisting, wish to comment, or donate, please contact Principal Varla Abrams by email at varla.abrams@tdsb.on.ca.
We look forward to working together in partnership to improve athletic opportunities for students and the entire community.
Josh Matlow Trustee for St. Paul’s Toronto District School Board May 24, 2007 Thank you to the entire Northern SS school and residential community for your contributions to the public meeting held on May 17th. All comments and suggestions made will be discussed by the stakeholder committee. Please click here to read the Revised Executive Summary of Expressed Needs for Northern S.S. Playing Field Upgrade. May 4, 2007
Please find a copy of the Executive Summary of Expressed Needs (below) for the Northern S.S. Playing Field Upgrade.
Thursday May 17, 2007
Executive Summary of Expressed Needs for the Northern S.S. Playing Field Upgrade
April 23 2007
Dear NSS school council,
I’m writing to express my appreciation for your support to our school, our students and our collective efforts to upgrade Northern SS’ Clarke Pulford Field.
Your ideas and suggestions, along with the leadership of Eva and Gail, are critical towards ensuring a successful project. I am very encouraged that we are working with all stakeholders on a creative and positive pursuit.
Please do not hesitate to contact me, or our consultant Paul Addie, with any questions as we move forward to creating a new field for our students and community.
Sincerely,
Josh
April 12 2007 Northern Secondary School's Clarke Pulford Field upgrade Thank you so much to Northern Secondary School's school and local residential community members for meeting today to discuss a new strategy for a field upgrade. This was the first in a new series of discussions. It is very encouraging and inspiring to see the entire community work as a team to support our students! Thank you as well to our students for taking such a leadership role 11 April 2007 18 March 2007 This week, we will be creating a public consultation process with Paul Addie, former superindendent of education, towards building a new field at NSS. This process will include the school, parents, students and residents as part of the decision-making process and as members of the interview team for any potential partners. We will create a schedule for a stakeholders' meeting and a community meeting. The final result of this process will be one that is created by and for both the school and residential communities. As always when working with a school, our students' needs will come first. My hope is that, out of what was a very divisive and difficult experience, a uniting and positive initiative will commence that will build long-lasting friendships between our school and residential communities. I know that from my discussions with parents students and residents, all reasonable and constructive people want to move forward towards a common goal.....to build a new field for NSS. 27 February 2007 Please click here to read my letter to the community on the NTSC's withdrawal and how we intend to move forward quickly on working with a partner to renew Clarke Pulford Field. Click here for the official notice from Sheila Ward, TDSB Chair and the president of the NTSC. 23 February 2007 The Toronto District School Board and the North Toronto Soccer Club have agreed that the proposal for a long-term lease, along with a dome at NSS, will not be a viable proposal and therefore will not go forward. The school board is now actively seeking a new partnership proposal to support renewing NSS' sport field. Any potential partnership will be considered by representitives of the school and parent, student, and local residential communities together. 15 February 2007 Thus far, there is no indication at the Northern Secondary School (NSS) expectations will be met by the North Toronto Soccer Club (NTSC). This week, the school board will invite a mediator to work with the school and soccer club. It is my hope that they will find a mutual and respectful closure. This project proposal, one that would see a long-term lease with the NTSC and a dome on the school's field, must be judged on its merits. It must also be judged on what is in the best interests of our students and our school community, how it affects our local residential community, and what tactics have been used to see this project through to fruition. Considering all of these factors, I can honestly say that I no longer support this project. Some very decent people have been hurt throughout his process and I do not have confidence in the viability of the proposed partnership.Ultimately, I do not believe this experience has been positive for our students, parents or residents. I would prefer to seek a project proposal, to rebuild the NSS sports field, that would be a more positive and inclusive initiative. I believe that it is very likely that we could see a new, green and modern sports field at NSS if the school and residential communities work together as neighbours. I will dedicate my own time and energy to this worthy and important pursuit. 2 February 2007 I held a meeting on January 11th with stakeholders (read below) where it was decided that it would be disingenuous to hold a public meeting before the TDSB had some honest answers on traffic, parking, and other reasonable concerns related to any potential lease agreement with the North Toronto Soccer Club (NTSC). Last week, Northern Secondary School wrote a list of expectations for the NTSC to review and this was sent to the NTSC. The school's support for the proposal will be dependent on whether or not the needs of the soccer club can meet the expectations of the school and that local residents' concerns are respected. If the school's and soccer club's terms meet, then the board will schedule a public meeting to be held at Northern SS before any recommendation could come to Board for a vote. If their respective terms do not meet, then there will simply not be a partnership between the the NTSC and Northern SS. I expect to have an answer from the soccer club soon and will post updates on this page. A Field of Dreams for Northern Secondary School Dear students, parents and residents,
As the school board does not currently have adequate resources to maintain several school facilities across Toronto and is largely dependent on provincial grants, in recent years the board has been more open to working with partners to support the maintenance and repair of our buildings and sport fields. This, in my opinion, is a creative approach to finding solutions.
There is a currently a proposal by the North Toronto Soccer Club (NTSC) to finance much of the cost for a new sport field at Northern Secondary School (NSS) along with contributions through school fundraising initiatives. A component of this proposal is to erect an inflatable dome on one third of the field for about five months of the year. As well, the NTSC would have an eight year lease with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The estimated combined cost of this proposal is $1.6 million.
However, what this new field will look like, and who will have use of it, is an issue of contention for several students, parents and local residents.
Local residents have even expressed concern about the proposed inflatable dome and how increased use of the field will affect neighbourhood parking and traffic. They have expressed interest in supporting a fundraising initiative for a new school field without a dome. While the feasibility of this proposal is yet to be determined, the concept of the school and local residential communities working together on a common cause is certainly an attractive option.
Some students have told me that they would prefer that any school fundraising initiatives focus on the school building itself before upgrading the sport field and some parents have said that they are concerned with how very divisive and often mean-spirited this project has become.
I am optimistic though that many of these differences of opinion could be resolved if all interested parties come to the table and have a dialogue. There is certainly consensus that a new sports field for NSS would be a great contribution to both the school and local residential communities. The current field is in a shameful state of muddy disrepair.
To ensure that the school and local residential communities work together on achieving common goals, work as neighbours and hopefully resolve many differences of opinion, I have set out the following process:
The following stakeholders were sent an invitation to meet with me on January 11, 2007:
NSS Principal or delegate, NSS Athletics staff, NSS Student Council and Boys and Girls Athletics, SW3 Superintendent, NSS School Council Co-Chairs, NSS Foundation, North Toronto Soccer Club, Project Co-Chairs, Councillors Walker and Jenkins or delegates, local resident in Ward 22, local resident in Ward 25, a representative of the Sherwood Park and Roehampton Residents Associations and Trustee Gerri Gershon who represents residents who live on the north side of Broadway.
This invitation was for an inaugural meeting of an NSS school and residential community standing committee.
The first meeting of this committee was very productive. It offered an opportunity for all interested parties to share their views and concerns. It also made it abundantly clear to me that everyone at the table agreed that something must be done to improve Northern SS’ field. No one made this point more clear than the school’s students and staff.
There was consensus that it would be premature to hold a public meeting before the terms and conditions for a Field of Dreams proposal were clarified. There will, however, be a public consultation meeting held by the TDSB when there is a clear proposal with solid funding for consideration at board that will be well advertised in the local area and to the school’s parents and students.
In order to clarify the terms and conditions, TDSB staff will meet with the NTSC and hear what their expectations are. Staff will then consult with Northern SS to ascertain if the soccer club’s proposed terms and conditions meet the needs of the school and those of their athletics programs.
As well, the TDSB will have to receive a complete, transparent and accountable breakdown of any finances related to the proposed project. Once this process is complete, there will be an opportunity for a recommendation to come to the school board and then for any lease be signed.
The details of the school board recommendation will be reliant on a successful and genuine public consultation process. To be clear, there are no details of this initiative that could be considered a "done deal" until the fore mentioned consultation process is completed and a recommendation is passed by the TDSB.
To support increased use of school facilities and to raise much-needed revenue, the school board is considering a city-wide strategy on opening school parking spaces, including the underground parking garage at Northern SS, to the public with "pay and display" parking machines. As well, the school is willing to release parking spaces on Rawlinson Avenue which are currently saved for school bus parking.
My hope is that this process eventually finds a new field for NSS and that the relationship between the school and the local residential community grows on a basis of trust, goodwill and partnership.
Ultimately, as we adults debate and work to resolve our differences, we should set a model of behaviour that we would expect from our students.
There has been correspondence circulated by both proponents and opponents of the proposal. To be clear, Rauda Dickinson, Superintendent of Education SW3, and I are the spokespeople for this project. Please feel free to contact Ms. Dickinson or myself if you have any questions.
I will endeavor to keep you informed on our progress and with a date and location for a public meeting.
Sincerely,
Josh Matlow Trustee for St. Paul’s Letters Please click on the link to read a letter to NSS parents and guardians from Josh Matlow, Trustee for St. Paul’s, concerning the Field of Dreams project. Field of Dreams Letter- parents and guardians Please click on the link to read a letter to NSS neighbourhood residents To read an interesting Post magazines debate between a local resident and the soccer club. Click here Links North Toronto Soccer Club Stop Dome Local Residents Group Northern Secondary School http://www.northernsecondary.com/ Toronto District School Board
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