Dear Editor:

This letter is written to the board of trustees with School District No. 53 regarding the potential school closures in Osoyoos and the economic and community crisis that would result if this were to take place.

It is with a great deal of concern that I submit this formal request to abandon the motion to consider closing one of Osoyoos’ schools.

As a resident, taxpayer, parent, health professional and businessman, the notion of closing a school in our community is terrifying at best.

While the impact on current residents can be viewed as one of potential inconvenience, the idea of transporting our students to and from Oliver for their secondary education, it is the impact on future potential residents that will have the greatest impact on the community, especially in terms of economic development.

What young family would knowingly move into a small community, with the prospect of having their children bused to another community for their education?

Not many.

Our community already struggles with growth in this demographic.

It is the young families that sustain our service sector, our community programs and the vast majority of our small businesses.

Removing a core service from our community such as education will drastically reduce the appeal of this community for that demographic and will slowly handcuff the economic prosperity of our year-round businesses.

It is absolutely critical for the elected officials and town administration to work in conjunction with the school district board  to collectively find a solution that protects the economy and viability of future Osoyoos families.

Now is not the time to pass blame or focus on where things have slipped, but to focus our collective energy on maintaining and developing the education system in Osoyoos.

We are not convinced that every option has been attempted to reduce the fiscal deficit that has brought this issue to light.

Both parties are obligated to use any means necessary to prevent this crippling loss to our community and subsequent polarization of our future residents.

Personally, in dentistry, we rely on being a family service provider. Drastically reducing the number of new families to our practice would have a severe and irreversibly negative effect on our sustainability to operate.

Truthfully, we would likely take a serious look at relocating our practice. We have invested heavily during the 13 years we have lived in Osoyoos in terms of volunteer hours into our community through the Economic Development Advisory

Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, community sports programs such as beach volleyball, minor hockey, minor baseball, volleyball, soccer and softball, in addition to years of service through the local Rotary club.

The vast majority of our efforts have been made to support and grow the young demographic in our community which we feel is beginning to yield dividends with our elementary school enrolment increasing and our school at nearly100 per cent capacity.

Closing one school in a small community to reduce a deficit position becomes increasingly short sighted as a larger deficit, apparently, looms in subsequent years.

It would be naive to think that if the Osoyoos school closes that any other school is safe, especially the schools in smaller communities.

Our livelihood, our children’s quality of life and our community’s future would all be negatively affected by the decision to eliminate any of our schools.

Closing a school should only be considered as an ultimate and final resort, but only after every possible solution has been given a chance.

We feel the school board has an obligation to the community, the local economy and the community’s children to use every means possible to prevent any school closure.

Please reconsider this current course of action and decide to help us grow a prosperous Osoyoos and district for everyone.

Dr. Jason Bartsch,

Osoyoos, B.C.