Kootenay town's only high school faces closure

A small town in B.C.'s Kootenay region is fighting for its only high school — yet again.

The Kootenay Columbia School District has to cut about $1.8 million from its budget over three years.

One option being considered to help balance the budget is to eliminate Rossland Secondary School, which has been talked about for almost two decades.

Rossland Secondary School students would then move down the road to a brand new school in Trail.

"Not a single trustee relishes this in any way at all," said school board chair Darrel Ganzert.

"Even last year we cut janitorial service to schools. It's just year after year we have to find the money in services, programs or facilities."

Parent advisory council chair Diana Wilkes has had two sons go through the high school — fighting the entire time to keep it open.

"I'm pretty weary and I know many other people are pretty weary," she told CBC News. "We want to attract families. And we've heard time and time again if we don't have K to 12, people will live elsewhere."

The school district will hold two public hearings this winter and is expected to decide the fate of Rossland Secondary School in February.