While it is undisputable that our communities are having to face severe difficulties because of the impact of the global economic downturn, we should never ignore the fact that there is quite substantial economic activity going on around, and in some cases businesses are slowly but surely building confidence.
Ironically enough, some of the economic activity is going on thanks to the funding, mostly grants, provided by the provincial government before the depression struck.
Most of these projects are aimed at improving infrastructure and renovation and or construction of public facilities.
Although the provincial government has been under fire from all circles, including opposition politicians, businessmen, journalists and academics, one should not forget the fact that it is thanks to that much-criticized spending policies that these projects can still go ahead. (This is not a justification of those policies but only an observation).
In the process of realization of those projects, the communities may have to suffer for a while as a result of having to leave the comfort zone.
Take the Wm. E. Hay school renovation project, for example.
True, things are not as we would like them to be, they are not ideal, but we have to admit that the renovation is being carried out with some difficulty, bringing discomfort to all, to students and teachers, and to some parents who believe that their children are having to continue their education in sub-standard conditions.
Being a parent myself, I tend to think that my child (not a high school student - just to set the record straight) sees his school almost as a second home.
It is at the school that he spends an important part of his day, it is on the school playground that he releases his joyful laughters and it is there that he starts to build his friendships.
If school is so big a part of a child’s life, then isn’t it only normal for the parents to be a little more accommodating towards changes that will make life a lot better for many children/students?
If it is endurable for families to live with the difficulties of a home renovation in the expectation that the finished product will be much more comfortable to live in, it should be endurable for students (and parents) to bear with the difficulties of having their education under modified circumstances because the benefits will be reaped by a much larger group and for many years.