The Winnipeg School Division has been dodging their responsibility in Gordon Bell High School’s campaign for a sports field, say community activists.

Gordon Bell, which currently lacks a grass sports field of any kind, is fighting to acquire the former Midway Chrysler lot at 730 Portage Ave.

And while current owner Canada Post is willing to give up the lot, they need an alternate location to build their new downtown mail depot, and soon.

“There’s a construction timetable that we need to adhere to in order to ensure that service to our customers is not interrupted,” said Kathi Neal, media and community affairs manager for Canada Post.

“We remain open-minded,” Neal said.

But Canada Post has yet to receive an official offer for their property from the school division or government.

After a meeting with Education Minister Peter Bjornson on Tuesday, Feb. 10, it was made clear to community activists that the Winnipeg School Division has to take the next step, and should have done so long ago, said Nancy Chippendale, a Gordon Bell alumnus and member of the Dream of Fields Coalition.

Dream of Fields is a community initiative fighting to create green space for the school.

Despite officially lending its support to the project recently, the school division had no plans to step in on the process when interviewed last week.

“It’s their (Gordon Bell’s) initiative, but what they’ve got now is the support of the division in principle,” said a division spokesperson that requested anonymity.

But the school division needs to offer more than theoretical support, said Kelly Holmes, executive director of Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) and a Gordon Bell alumnus, who was present at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Just giving us a nod is not enough,” she said. “We need more than ‘in principle’ here… Until they do that piece we’re kind of stuck.”

The school division was unavailable for comment following Tuesday’s meeting.

Last week prior to the meeting, Bjornson’s office declined an interview, saying they have yet to receive a proposal from the Winnipeg School Division regarding the property in question. Though supportive of the project, the government’s hands are apparently tied until the school division acts, Chippendale said.

“We’re just back to square one,” she said.

Gordon Bell staff and students, community members and local politicians are searching for a new spot that fits Canada Post’s needs, with no luck yet. They are hoping Bjornson and member of Parliament Pat Martin (NDP-Winnipeg Centre), can negotiate a deadline extension with Canada Post.

The deadline is currently set at the end of February.

Gordon Bell currently sports a paved courtyard for all recreation. Students are bused to nearby schools for all games and practices.

“I know my kids came home with more than their fair share of road rash, trying to play Frisbee out there,” said Darrell Horn, member of both the Dream of Fields Coalition and the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre’s Board of Directors.

Linda McLaren, co-chair of the Gordon Bell parent advisory council, said the field would not only improve the school’s gym curriculum and promote healthy activities for students, but it could serve as a recreational space for all kids in the community.

“We need this space. We need it for the whole neighbourhood,” she said.

Published in Volume 63, Number 20 of The Uniter (February 12, 2009)