PSB report calls for big changes to schools in Summerside area — including closing Parkside

Gwyneth Egan · CBC News

· Posted: May 02, 2025 8:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A caller survey from P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is calling for 1 of Canada's oldest schools to beryllium unopen down, and for a caller 1 to beryllium built, perchance on Summerside's caller East West Corridor.

The 27-page study said Parkside Elementary — a Summerside schoolhouse that is implicit 150 years aged — has "significant" ongoing challenges successful addressing aerial quality, heating and maintenance. 

The Green Street building's practice presumption would make challenges successful trying to upgrade the school, the study said while  recommending its closure. 

Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher precocious toured the large red ceramic gathering and said helium saw a wide scope of carnal issues, from buckets successful windowsills catching leaking h2o to duct portion holding down doorway frames.

Large HVAC machines successful classrooms had to beryllium turned disconnected during the time due to the fact that they were truthful large teachers couldn't talk to students, Kutcher said. 

"I saw — successful my sentiment — a schoolhouse that is physically, structurally astir apt not acceptable for teaching," helium said. 

New schoolhouse connected the East-West Corridor? 

The study from PSB recommended that a caller schoolhouse beryllium built to accommodate up to 750 students from kindergarten to Grade 9, and called for caller schoolhouse catchment boundaries to beryllium drawn up for Athena, Elm Street, Greenfield and Miscouche. 

"The 700-750 capableness should code the important enrolment maturation expected wrong the Greater Summerside Area implicit the adjacent fewer years," the study said. 

It said a caller artery roadworthy being built done the City of Summerside, called the East-West Corridor, would beryllium an due determination for caller schoolhouse construction. Officials expect much than 2,000 homes to yet capable the country arsenic 3,000 acres of onshore go disposable for development. 

The PSB study besides laid retired a assortment of options to woody with overcrowding, including adding classrooms astatine immoderate schools, rezoning different students, and perchance moving Grades 7 through 9 retired of Miscouche Consolidated. 

"I'm gladsome there's options connected the table," Kutcher said. 

"I'm truly gladsome that it's being looked astatine and that the treatment is happening due to the fact that if you look at… a metropolis oregon immoderate benignant of community, you tin truly measurement however good it's doing by however good young radical are doing and kids are doing."

Kutcher said helium wouldn't spell truthful acold arsenic to accidental helium supports the recommendations made successful the study earlier helium has the accidental to beryllium down and inquire questions astir them. 

But helium agreed the East-West Corridor would beryllium a large spot for a school. 

Public consultation volition proceed until June 2, with schoolhouse committee trustees having the last accidental connected what happens. 

MLAs perceive concerns successful the legislature 

The contented was discussed successful the provincial legislature connected Friday. 

"Parkside Elementary has been a cornerstone of its assemblage for generations. Families are present facing the anticipation of its closure without being decently consulted oregon informed," said Liberal Opposition Leader Hal Perry.

Perry asked Premier Rob Lantz whether helium could warrant that nary determination astir closing Parkside oregon immoderate different schoolhouse would beryllium made without afloat and transparent consultation with the full schoolhouse community. 

"Parkside is simply a peculiar involvement due to the fact that it happens to beryllium 1 of the oldest schools successful the country," Lantz said. 

"Of course, nary decisions volition beryllium made without afloat consultation with the schoolhouse community," helium said, adding that helium looks guardant to moving connected this record with the curate of acquisition to put successful Island schools and guarantee students person the champion imaginable facilities successful which to beryllium educated.