There are a lot of questions from the community in response to news Ecole Valois may be moving. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community backlash

Community flustered by school’s plans to move

Apr 30, 2019 | 5:00 PM

A recent news article discussing the possible departure of Ecole Valois school from the Midtown area has struck a chord amongst some residents in the neighbourhood, who feel they are being unfairly “slandered.”

The issue for residents has less to do with the school moving and more to do with the reasons why. School representatives had told paNOW there was a need for more space, but also cited concerns regarding crime in the neighbourhood such as visible gang activity, ongoing needle pick ups, and fires. Jordan McMullin has lived in the midtown area for six years, and said the community wants a chance to stand up for itself.

“Midtown is a beautiful place, an incredible place, filled with families and culture and just incredible memories,” he said.

According to recent statistics provided by the Prince Albert Police Service, the second highest number of calls (20 per cent) for March came from Ward 3, next to Ward 2 (30 per cent). Chief Jon Bergen has mentioned in the past the high percentage of calls may have more to do with active reporting by the residents than actually a rise in crime. McMullin, who is also an active participant in the local neighbourhood watch group, said when attempts were made by the group to reach out to the school, there was no cooperation.

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“You have been a part of our community for so many years, and in those number of years not once have you tried to actually participate and be a part of that community,” he said. “So you could argue it is actually partially their fault for how midtown is currently today.”

Dave Mulhall speaks for the Midtown Neighbourhood Watch Group and told paNOW the problems identified by the parent council president at Ecole Valois are not isolated to the school or midtown.

“My kids go to St. John school in the east flat and they have found needles in the playground there too. My kids were not allowed to jump into puddles in the spring because needles were found,” he said.

In response to the possible departure of Ecole Valois, Mulhall said he is hoping the city’s leaders at city hall can attract a new industry to Prince Albert.

“The university downtown will help our area in attracting tenants and hopefully higher property values. With lack of industry in Prince Albert and the lower property values it breeds more “slum lord property”, he said.

Michael Lypchuk is a realtor with Prince Albert’s Remax Realty. He said he did not anticipate any negative impact on property values if Valois left the neighbourhood.

“Some entity could go into that building and it could turn into some sort of facility that is along the same lines and value could increase,” he said. “It would be sad to see Valois go but it does open the door for someone else to have the opportunity to be down in that area and watch it grow.”

As of April 30, there had been no official announcement regarding Ecole Valois moving to the old Rivier Academy building, or to any new location at all.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell