St. Pierre-Jolys community members push back after school division limits access to library

The Joly Regional Library successful St. Pierre-Jolys has been a pillar successful nan South Eastern Manitoba colony since nan 1960s and was nan first bilingual room to beryllium built successful agrarian Manitoba.

Recently, though, nan Red River Valley School Division made nan determination to move guardant pinch a scheme to limit nationalist entree during schoolhouse hours to nan library, which is connected to École Héritage Immersion.

That determination is being questioned by organization group Friends of nan Joly Regional Library, which says nan room is simply a valuable and much-needed work wrong nan community.

Alison Palmer, 1 of nan organizers, says nan room is simply a root of organization pride, and it would beryllium a shame for residents to suffer access.

“It’s very active,” explained Palmer. “It has programming for families, programming pinch nan seniors, programming pinch nan daycare. So cutting each that conscionable takes distant nan life from our community.”

The group says it understands that student information is an evident privilege for nan schoolhouse division, but Red River Valley School Division besides operated nan room successful adjacent Saint Malo. That room was closed 2 years agone ‘temporarily’ by nan division, and has yet to reopen.

Global News reached retired to nan schoolhouse section for remark but did not person a consequence aft respective attempts.

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However, nan value of nan room is not mislaid connected St. Pierre-Jolys councillor Marc Proulx, who says he empathizes pinch nan concerns of room supporters but stresses things must alteration arsenic nan organization continues to grow.

“Safety was not an rumor 30 years ago, now it is,” Proulx states. “Space wasn’t an rumor arsenic nan organization grows, now it is. We can’t conscionable show everybody, ‘Don’t interest astir it, position quo.’ No, nan section can’t beryllium backmost and support position quo, they person to move forward.”

He continued by explaining that assembly is taking steps to see different options, but was incapable to supply specifics.

“We are looking astatine alternatives, I tin opportunity that much,” said Proulx. “But we request to activity pinch nan Library Committee Board connected that, because that is provincially-driven.”