Moncton High School - O'Shaughnessy Report

O'Shaughnessy Report

In accordance with Department of Education policy, in March 2010, School District 2 commissioned CS&P architects, a leading Toronto architectural firm specializing in the renovation of historic schools, for a community consultation on the future of MHS and to make a recommendation to the District Education Council (DEC). The consultation, says education facility planner and author of the report Maureen O'Shaughnessy, “is built on the goals of the Department of Education and the DEC to create a 21st Century learning environment which puts learners first.” The report weighed community feedback, student needs, financial impact of renovation and new construction of school building as well as long-term operations and maintenance. “An open dialogue with the community, allowed the community to assist in the development of options, fostering consensus and ownership of the recommended plan.”

The report recommended in November 2010 to re-build MHS on the existing site while retaining the most important heritage components of the existing building. However, the report recommended a phased acquisition of adjacent land north of the school for the development of an additional practice play field. The proposal did not require the maintenance of the existing auditorium but recommended pursuing alternative sources of funding as the auditorium was not required under existing provincial educational guidelines. The reasons for this choice can be summarized as follows:

• A majority of stakeholders supported the reconstruction or renovation of MHS on the existing site.
• The majority of MHS students live within a 6 km radius of the school. Taking into account the location of students attending feeder schools, “there is no geographic location within the MHS boundary that is more central to a majority of students”.
• The proximity of downtown amenities and services including health and dental clinics, retail, arts and cultural institutions, the universities, and public transportation.
• While using the existing site would include demolition costs, moving the school to a new site would include other costs such as land acquisition and site preparation.

The report concluded: "the re-building or replacement of an existing school in an existing community must include the community in the planning and development of the project." On November 16, 2010, the DEC recommended its support of the O'Shaughnessy Report to Education Minister Jody Carr. In addition to DEC and the City of Moncton, the O'Shaughnessy Report was endorsed by Downtown Moncton Inc and the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce.