City buys stereo, borrows school hall

BY ANDY BLATCHFORD

andy.blatchford@transcontinental.ca

High school students will get a new sound system in exchange for the use of their auditorium, according to a contract between Lester B. Pearson School Board and the City of Beaconsfield.

The city has agreed to invest $50,000 to upgrade Beaconsfield high school’s hall and in return, the school will open its doors to community organizations and municipal events, such as concerts, theatre and fairs.

Beaconsfield approved the agreement at its February city council meeting.

“It gives the residents of Beaconsfield access to a really nice auditorium where we can bring in entertainment that we haven’t been able to bring in before,” said Beaconsfield Mayor Bob Benedetti. “It’s an example how the municipalities and the school boards can work together.

“It’s really a top-notch auditorium for the community.”

Pearson chairman Marcus Tabachnick said similar agreements between West Island cities and high schools have been a success.

“We do deals with municipalities across our board,” he said. “The municipality shares in the cost, so it allows the board to make renovations, repairs and upgrades much more quickly and much more completely in a short term. Otherwise we tend to do things in stages because our funding is so limited.

“A lot of these auditoriums haven’t been fixed or touched or renovated in years and years.”

He said Pierrefonds Comprehensive and John Rennie high schools share facilities with their respective municipalities.

Tabachnick said Beaconsfield’s contribution will help revitalize the auditorium, but more work is necessary.

In addition to the sound system, the hall needs new chairs, curtains, improved lighting and stage repairs.

“We’ll do as much as the money will take us,” he said.

Benedetti said Beaconsfield’s Environment Fair on April 22 (Earth Day) is the first event planned for BHS.￿