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Hamilton's Public School Board Seeks Solution to Lack of Sports Field at Bernie Custis Secondary

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board is addressing a long-standing issue by exploring options to provide a sports field for Bernie Custis Secondary School, a large lower-city school with no dedicated field space. The board's finance and facilities committee has passed a motion to direct staff to consider constructing an artificial turf on existing city-owned green space, paying to use the neighbouring stadium, or purchasing a nearby property to build an artificial turf field. Without a field, students at Bernie Custis Secondary School don't have a "full school experience," said Ward 3 trustee Maria Felix Miller, who put forward the motion.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's finance and facilities committee passed a motion to direct staff to consider constructing an artificial turf on existing city-owned green space at Bernie Custis Secondary School.
  • The motion also asks staff to work with the Ministry of Education to explore the possibility of purchasing a nearby property, known as King George School, to build an artificial turf field.
  • Bernie Custis Secondary School, which opened in 2019, is the only high school in the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board without a real field, and students currently play on a small green space shared with Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre or the CFL field across the street when available.
  • The school board has been seeking a solution since the original plan to use Brightside Park, a green space and sports field set to be built on the old Dominion Glass factory property, was delayed and is now expected to be completed in 2028.
  • Currently, Bernie Custis students use the lawn outside the school, where some of the large berms were shaved in 2023 to make it more usable, for socializing and some team practices, with sports teams allotted 400 free hours at the stadium, but often bumped by paying events.
  • The school board has a partnership with Forge FC and the Tiger-Cats, allowing students to use the stadium field for after-hours and off-peak use, but principal Timothy Powell notes that students need "a chance to be social and to be active" in their own dedicated space.
  • A field of their own would serve for team practices, gym class, and student life events, providing a personalized and equitable experience for students.

Statistics:

  • 400: The number of free hours allotted to sports teams at the stadium.
  • 50: The million-dollar contribution from the city towards the construction of the stadium.
  • 1,100: The target number of annual community hours of use at the stadium, reached after more than a decade.
  • 2019: The year Bernie Custis Secondary School opened without a dedicated field.
  • 2023: The year the berms were shaved to make the lawn outside the school more usable.
  • 2028: The expected completion year for Brightside Park, the green space and sports field originally planned to be used by Bernie Custis students.

Sources:

  • The Hamilton Spectator (kmccullough@thespec.com)
  • Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
  • City of Hamilton
  • Tim Hortons Field
  • Bernie Custis Secondary School
  • King George School
  • Ministry of Education

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