Hamilton councillors delay decision on proposed north-end Islamic school

Hamilton city councillors put off a decision Tuesday on a proposed new private school in the city’s north end.

It comes in the face of significant opposition to the proposal from residents worried about traffic, and from the huge Dofasco steel company concerned about the impact on its steel trucks.

This came up at the city’s Planning Committee on Tuesday. The idea is to turn an abandoned old school building into a modern school with a green space and a play area for children, but it is not going over that well so far.

Some residents of this quiet neighbourhood right beside a Dofasco steel mill like things the way they are.

“I think our little five blocks should just stay our five blocks,” one resident said.

In the middle of the five blocks sits the former Lloyd George Public School, which opened in 1918.

The Muslim Association of Canada wants to turn it into a new Islamic school with 27 classrooms for students from across the region from kindergarten to the eighth grade.

The school closed in 2003, with the city saying there were not enough students to keep it open. Now, the Muslim Association wants to give new life to the old building.

“They’re going to make this building better. They’re keeping all of the beautiful mosaic brickwork, they’re keeping the existing window rhythm and placement and openings. But, they’re replacing the old outdated windows,” a representative for the project says. “Our clients are proposing to beautify the site.”

But some residents are afraid the proposal would mean school buses morning and night, and hundreds of parents driving into their quiet, narrow streets to park and drop off their kids.

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Residents presented a petition to councillors Tuesday with more than 20 signatures against the school.

“We’ve got people hit by cars with just normal traffic here,” one resident said. “It would create more traffic. People driving around, driving around, unfamiliar, looking for a parking spot.”

“It’s going to bring more traffic,” another resident said. “It’s going to bring more headaches. It’s going to bring more trouble to the area.”

Dofasco is also worried about the impact on its trucks that have special permission to carry heavy steel coils on the road.

“These are the only roads on which these immense vehicle types are permitted and it’s vital to our client’s operations,” said James Thomas of AJ Clark and Associates.

Others in the neighbourhood like the idea of refurbishing a crumbling old school.

“It’s good if they could use it as a school instead of having it abandoned,” a resident said.

Hamilton planning staff opposed the school application. Coun. Tammy Hwang voiced residents’ concerns.

“This starting out phase is going to be a K-to-5 school where there will be a lot of buses,” Hwang said.

However, she asked for more time for the city and the Muslim Association to consider the proposal.

The planning committee agreed to give it another month and will take it up again in September.

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