Nanton Mayor Jennifer Handley has a bone to pick with the Provincial Government.

When the Provincial budget was released, Handley says she was prepared for cuts to municipal funding and happy to see that policing costs hadn't been downloaded to rural communities, but one thing was very wrong.

"I was certainly, certainly disappointed that JT Foster wasn't on the school modernization program. This school is in a very dire situation for modernization."

Handley says the school has been on the list for three government turn overs and is still being ignored.

"We've been on the list for nearly eight years now. We've seen three different governments turn their backs on this school and it cannot wait any longer."

She says she and council will continue to lobby for provincial support.

"As a council, that will likely be one of the first things we are doing is lobbying the government, and we'll continue to work with Roger Reid who's our local MLA as far as how we can make JT Foster a priority because it cannot wait any longer."

According to Reid, many schools left off the list were from Southern Alberta, and Handley says that's not okay.

"There are plans for public fundraising, and our community is certainly very good at stepping up but the size of this project is just so big and for the Government to be able to find money in other areas of the province for schools, for brand new schools and schools being modernized and not being able to find even a little bit of money for our school isn't sitting well."

Handley says she will also continue fighting for the Silver Willow Lodge Seniors Centre in Nanton.

She says that's another building built in 1970, that hasn't seen any upgrades.

 

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