Davisville PS won’t close

School board staff recommend keeping five local sites open
Davisville, Eglinton, Hodgson, Maurice Cody, Spectrum should stay alive
Trustees make final decision June 23
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier May 27.)

Davisville PS was never in real danger of closing.

While other communities struggle with the prospect of school closures, parents in Davisville and Leaside can expect to see expanded programming.
School board staff has agreed with all the recommendations put forth by the Davisville school review committee.
The review focused on how best to accommodate students at Davisville/Metropolitan Toronto School for the Deaf, Eglinton, Hodgson and Maurice Cody public schools and Spectrum Alternative School without losing services.
“We came out of this with some real goodies,” said school trustee Josh Matlow.

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Lawrence Heights skateboard park

New facility opens after four years of pressure by local kids
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier May 18.)

Shaquille Williams, second from left, has been pushing for a Lawrence Heights skateboard park since 2006. It opened May 1. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Teen Shaquille Williams has been waiting four years to hear the sound of boards and bikes rolling through Lawrence Heights.
Williams and his friend Joshua Orticello pushed for a local skateboard park for nearly four years and it opened May 1 at Lawrence Ave. West and Varna Drive.
The pair, both 14, solicited a campaign promise from councillor Howard Moscoe in 2006 and went door to door getting over 200 signatures in favour of the skateboard park.
The persistent youth followed up with Moscoe and city officials in order to ensure their dream came true.

Fern school pool saved

Board votes to reopen the elementary school’s aquatic facility
Community, school, volunteers raise revenue to keep pool open
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Oct. 1 for Town Crier.)

Fern Elementary School’s pool is now saved and could reopen as soon as Oct. 12. 
It was on a probationary list of 13 facilities to be drained by the end of the year if sufficient permit revenue couldn’t be found. 
But the school and community rallied together to find enough money to convince the Toronto District School Board to keep Fern’s pool afloat. 
On Sept. 16, the school board voted to keep pools open at Fern, Jarvis, Downsview and Queen Alexandra and now just nine pools on the caution list. 
Fern principal Craig Tsuji said they had to cover about $30,000 in costs.
“People are passionate about keeping as much (resources) in their community as possible,” he said. “The Roncesvalles community really likes neighbourhood shopping, neighbourhood school, pool and market.”