Whitehorse City Council recently passed a motion calling on the territorial government to ensure the continued presence of an elementary school in the downtown core. The motion comes in response to the government’s plan to close École Whitehorse Elementary School and build a new one in the Takhini subdivision, leaving the downtown area without an elementary school.
Downtown residents and parents, such as Brook Land-Murphy, have voiced their support for maintaining an elementary school in the downtown. They emphasize the growing school-age population and the importance of creating a vibrant and complete community that includes children.
MLA Lane Tredger, who represents a downtown riding, has also spoken in favor of the motion. He has criticized the government’s lack of consultation with residents and the council regarding the decision to relocate the school.
In response, Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn has reiterated the reasons for the closure of École Whitehorse Elementary School. However, he has also invited the city to identify potential locations for a new school in the downtown core in the future.
The city’s support for an elementary school in the downtown aligns with the government’s recognition that future development and densification in the downtown area may warrant an elementary school. The council’s motion urges the government to work with residents and stakeholders to ensure that future planning for a downtown school can occur.
