Prince Edward County Mayor Robert Quaiff speaking to the Student Enrolment/School Capacity Committee Thursday night, May25.(Photo: John Spitters / Quintenews).
The Mayor of Prince Edward County is feeling good about the future of Sophiasburgh school and the proposed community food hub that is being proposed for part of it.
Mayor Robert Quaiff had what he described as a “pleasant” meeting with the new Minister of Education, Lisa Thompson.
So far, $800,000 of an $845,000 dollar goal has been raised by the community for the Sophiasburgh food hub.
The deadline to raise the remaining funds is the end of this month.
On another subject, no promises were made but Mayor Quaiff believes the Minister of Education understands the county’s push for “fair market value” pricing on school properties declared surplus by a school board.
Mayor Robert Quaiff tells Quinte News he’d like to see the closed Queen Elizabeth school in Picton be available for affordable housing but a free market bidding war would only benefit the school board.
robert quaiff
The mayor adds that taxpayers have already paid for the school so it doesn’t seem fair that a municipality should pay an “excessive” price to buy it once it’s surplus.
Meanwhile, the mayor expressed concern that renovations to Prince Edward Collegiate Institute might not be done in time for the start of school and pressed the Minister to ensure the safety of Queen Elizabeth students being transferred there.
