Cornwall making pitch for university
Posted Dec 1, 2012 07:26:40 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A group of volunteers in Cornwall have been laying the groundwork for bringing a university the city for the past several months.
The small steering committee includes Gerry Benson, former MPP for Stormont Dundas and South Glengarry Jim Brownell, and Tom and Gail Kaneb.
The Standard Freeholder reports Benson has been meeting with politicians from all three levels of government including Cornwall city staff, former Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Glen Murray and Governor General David Johnston, who used to be a university president.
Benson says he need to rally community support and if citizens want a higher education facility to come to Cornwall bad enough, it’ll happen.
Brownell has also said a university in Cornwall could keep youth from leaving the area to gain education and never returning.
Mark Boileau, the city’s manager of economic development says a university would not only draw new residents, but also attract businesses and industry to the region.
Tory MPP for Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry Jim McDonell isn’t convinced there is cash behind the Liberal’s plan to expand post-secondary education; mentioning the Liberal promise to build more hospitals for sevn or eight years hasn’t happened.
McDonell does say he’s behind the prospect of bringing a university to Cornwall however.
The volunteer group has chosen a proposed location for the campus to be built on a 72-acre lot on Montreal Road. The proprty is currently owned by NAV Canada and houses dozens of dorms and classrooms to train air traffic controllers.
