BC Hydro plan to build substation beneath school too hasty, say critics

A plan to build to build two underground hydro substations one neara West End school has been met with skepticismby some parents as the deadline for the deal looms.

Some say they don't have enough information on the deal in which BCHydro wouldpay to build two new schools in downtown Vancouver, in exchange for the right to build two underground hydro substations one beneath a Yaletown park and another below the property atthe Lord RobertsSchool Annex in the West End.

• Coming to beneath a park and school near you; a hydro substation?

The plan was pitched by BC Hydro in January and the deal is to be voted on next month by the Vancouver School and Park Board.

Some parents say that's not enough time to decide on a disruptive project that would force their kids to move schools during construction of the substation.

They also say they want a guarantee that the money BC Hydro is offering the school board will definitely buildtwo new schools.

"We're very cautious and skeptical of how fast and rushedthe process seems."said Tara Hill, a mother of two youngchildren, one of whom attends kindergarten at Lord Roberts School Annex.

"What guarantees do we have that all these carrots so to speak that have been dangled in front of our faces . . . .what guarantees do we have that those are going to happen?"

Will school board deliver Hydro's promises?

On paper, the plan looks terrific, Hill said. The downtown needs newschools and Hydro is promising to pay for two, but there's been no guarantee that theVancouver School Board must use the money to build schools.

Finally, there is concern thata high-stakes deal is to bedecided by a school board that's been reduced to a lone government appointee.The provincial government fired the Vancouver school board last year, after it failed to pass a balanced budget. It appointed a former school superintendent, Dianne Turner.

Patti Bacchus, one of the fired trustees, said she fearsthe board could use the money to fund other projects.

"As soon as the money is sitting in an account, the government can say to the Vancouver School Board, 'You need to use that money for A, B, C', and they will have the power to do that," she said.

Turner said the school board is committed to building two schools, and it's also keen to hear from parents aboutsafety concerns.

"I'veheard comments that maybe this is a done deal," Turner said. "It's not a done deal. I'm still learning about this proposal."

Turner said the school board will be holding a meeting in the near future to hear from parents. BC Hydro will hold an open house Monday night and a final one on Wednesday

Aging substations

BC Hydro says it needs to buildunderground substations and fast because it must replace three aging Vancouver substations to meet the city's future power needs

Rather than launch a search for two large above-ground lots in pricey Vancouver, it came up with the planto bury the substations.

Andrew Leonard, BC Hydro's project manager, said the new substations will be safe and will use a non-toxic gas for insulation instead of oil, reducing the risk of fire.

Leonard said Hydro's idea to offer to pay for new schools is genuine. There has been no indication the school board will use the money for other projects, he said.

"If the end result . . . isn't a new school, that would trouble B.C. Hydro," Leonard said.