Another Sacrifice Zone: The Sanford School Area

Special Report: Education

Another Sacrifice Zone: The Sanford School Area

As we grapple with a 20 percent poverty rate in Hamilton, and wonder why it is so concentrated in certain neighbourhoods, we have to question the way our School Boards and our Government operate.

By Dave Serafini
Published December 08, 2012

I went to the Sanford School meeting last Tuesday to get some information on the plan to demolish this building. Although I knew that this building was no longer being used, I was caught a little off guard by the demolition request filed by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB). Not satisfied with the explanation from my own trustee, I attended the meeting to get some clarity on the issue.

I am sure that Trustee Tim Simmons' address to the audience about parks and green spaces was sincere, but I failed to see the point. Living near Churchill Park myself, I could relate to some of the stories he told. However, I kept waiting to hear why this destructive path was the only solution to the green space issue. That part of the speech never came.

There were some passionate pleas by parents to have the Board carry on with the plan to achieve green space. Their frustration was palpable and I don't think anyone was in disagreement with the urgency or gravity of that issue.

I certainly didn't feel qualified to tell members of this community what was the best course of action. Nevertheless, I couldn't escape the feeling that this community was being sacrificed for the benefit of others.

The trustee spoke of a 'machine, too big to stop', and I found that comment a little scary. I am sure that he was referring to the many layers of bureaucracy and the awkward nature of the funding parameters that preclude us from changing course late in the game.

'Sacrifice Zones'

However, I kept thinking that there was a set of pre-existing conditions that was allowing this to occur. Here we are, about to destroy an irreplaceable neighbourhood asset, contributing to the decline of an already disadvantaged area.

There are dramatic examples of this decline in regions of the U.S., such that the author Chris Hedges has called them the "sacrifice zones".

I am reminded of this passage about the city of Camden, New Jersey in Hedges' latest book: Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt:

Camden sits on the edge of the Delaware River facing the Philadelphia skyline. A multilane highway, a savage concrete laceration, slices through the heart of the city. It allows commuters to pass overhead, in and out of Philadelphia, without seeing the human misery below. We keep those trapped in our internal colonies, our national sacrifice zones, invisible.

I couldn't help but think that a poor outcome was predetermined for this impoverished neighbourhood, but I still have questions. Why would a school (Cathy Wever) be built in an urban community with a suburban complement of parking?

The maintenance department for the HWDSB claims that there is a minimum amount required for new builds and that is non-negotiable. A quick google map view show that Cathedral High School manages with much less 'on site' parking.

When I worked there years ago, I recall the Board leased an auxiliary parking lot nearby, although I was content to park on city streets. Why can't we have that discussion about moving some of the parking at Cathy Wever?

Why would a school board demolish a building so quickly if the tendering process is at least a year and half away, other than to shut down the dialogue?

Why would the Ministry of Education reward the destruction of a perfectly functional building, because it temporarily takes some red out of the Board's ledger?

Concentrated Poverty

Some words were used to describe the problem like "economically challenging" and "Code Red for Health". Political correctness obscures the reality that when industries like Westinghouse and Siemens left, they were gone for good.

Nobody wanted to state the obvious: Adaptive re-use would work in a different neighbourhood. It would be something to leverage for more economic growth, but not here.

Here, we should be happy with grass instead of marble and brass. After all, 'it is for the kids', we're told. Nothing would make me happier than for these kids to have a place to play, but what happens when they're done playing soccer?

Also from Days of Destruction:

The decline of America is a story of gross injustices, declining standards of living, stagnant or falling wages, long term unemployment and underemployment, and the curtailment of civil liberties, especially as we militarize our police. It is the story of the weakest force being crushed by the strongest force. It is the story of unchecked and unfettered corporate power.

As we grapple with a 20 percent poverty rate in Hamilton, and wonder why it is so concentrated in certain neighbourhoods, we have to question the way our School Boards and our Government operate.

Do they work in a way that actually helps people in poverty? Perhaps they merely pay lip service to that end; meanwhile, they answer first to the power elites.

Martin Luther King Jr., a staunch advocate for economic justice, perhaps said it best:

It is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he should lift himself up by his own bootstraps. It is even worse to tell a man to lift himself up by his own bootstraps when somebody is standing on the boot.

Dave Serafini was born and raised in Hamilton. He lived in some other places, but returned to Hamilton for family and friends. Traditionally, his extracurricular activities have been sport related, but recently, he has been looking for ways to get involved with broader civic issues.

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By SCRAP (anonymous) | Posted December 08, 2012 at 22:09:54

I personally think the poverty rate is much higher than the 20 percent given, as this is based on dated figures.

While the Code Red Series was valid, it also should be noted that this type of analysis was done before, in the early 1900's, to address the poverty situations back in the day. It is not a new thing.

Raise the Hammer

Special Report: Education