A rally at Queen’s Park this week calling for the end of school closures in Ontario is hitting close to home for the Muskoka area. The only two primary schools in Honey Harbour are on the chopping block, and could both be shut down if nothing changes.
Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller says he is fighting the closure, bringing a petition to the Legislature and pushing the Premier to look at alternative options, like combining the two schools into one. He says his petition had around 1,000 signatures, and people in the area are very concerned.
If both schools are shut down, kids will be forced to ride the bus for an hour; going to either Glen Orchard Public School in Port Carling, or a school in the Midland area. He says that’s not only bad for the students, but also the town. He says it’s the heart of the community, and questions what young family will want to move there if no schools are nearby.
Miller says Kathleen Wynne’s response was encouraging, and he will now be working with the school board to try and find a solution for the community.