It's part of the mandate of the Bowen Island Community School Association (CSA) to support the community school as a hub for community learning and development. And keeping the school open for Bowen Islanders was identified as a key step toward this objective. At the Monday, December 17, special council meeting, the CSA presented a cheque of $3,500 to council to assist with covering the cost of community access outside regular school hours.
Lorraine Ashdown, communications director of the CSA, spoke on behalf of the board of directors and said she was pleased to share the good news. "The CSA has supported the school and the community for many years. In just over one year, in 2014, it will be our 40th anniversary, making us one of the longest-serving organizations on Bowen Island," she said. "The CSA's mandate is to strive to represent and engage all sectors of the community in identifying needs, developing goals, as well as work with community partners to develop and implement action plans."
Ashdown added that one of the CSA's goals from 2011 to 2012 and beyond is to assist in ensuring the access to the school for community use. In order to achieve this, a financial contribution of $1,750 from the 2011/12 and $1,750 from the 2012/13 CSA budgets to the Bowen Island Municipality has been approved.
"The CSA will annually assess financial contributions to Bowen Island Municipality to support this access," Ashdown said, adding that the contribution goes towards the costs associated with access to the school outside of regular school hours, for instance in the evenings and on weekends.
Ashdown also acknowledged the municipality's contribution and commitment to the Bowen Island Community School. "We consider it a privilege to partner with BIM as we work together to ensure the undiminished continuance of community access at BICS outside of school hours," she said. "The community school playground, fields, tennis courts, gym and multi-use rooms are community spaces that are used by the entire community. Affordable community use and access are important to the health of the community."
