Department of Education not going anywhere: Greenan

SUMMERSIDE — The provincial Education Department will not be leaving downtown Summerside, the city’s MLA suggested in the legislature this week.

Putting to rest widespread speculation that the provincial department will be leaving the western capital, MLA Gerard Greenan on Tuesday thanked Premier Robert Ghiz for making the Holman building the department’s ‘permanent’ home.

“On behalf of the citizens of Summerside, P.E.I.’S small city, I want to thank the Premier for having the foresight to designate Summerside as the permanent home of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development now and well into the future,” Greenan said.

“The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is now housed in a modern 100,000 square foot office complex known as the Holman Centre.

“It occupies the majority of the first floor and a significant portion of the second storey.”

The Liberals initially announced the move in their 2008 throne speech.

The actual relocation of the department did not take place until July 2010.

With the Province’s recent decision to set aside a recommendation from the Governance on Education Report to maintain two English school boards and instead opt for one, rumours began to circulate around the City of Summerside that the Department of Education would be leaving town for a return to the provincial capital and that the new school board would replace the department at the renovated Holman building.

“The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has been a welcome addition to downtown Summerside, indeed to the whole East Prince area,” said Greenan.

“The mayor, city councillors, chamber of commerce, business owners, and residents all applaud this significant move by our government.

“In the year and a half since the 110 employees have been all together under one roof, the excitement of them being part of the downtown business community has only increased.”

With the move, the department brought its management team, administration and corporate services branch, communications, as well as programs and services to early childhood centres and the public school system to Summerside.