The Town of Minto has finalized arrangements to purchase the former Harriston Senior Public School property and it plans to pursue development on the site.
The last Grade 8 class graduated in 2009 and the school was closed and merged with an expanded Minto Clifford Public School, which sits on an adjacent property.
Under provincial regulations, the Upper Grand District School Board was required to offer the 6.5-acre site, which contains three ball diamonds, a Sports field and a single-storey school building, to other levels of government before the general public.
The building is 22,708 square feet, including a 3,713 square foot gymnasium, and was constructed in 1955, with an addition in 1958. Renovations, including the addition of the gymnasium, were carried out in the early 70s, when the building became a senior school.
Council made the decision to purchase the school at a meeting on May 15 and the sale closed on June 29.
A report to council from CAO Bill White at the Aug. 14 meeting indicates the town’s chief building official and fire chief have been through the building since the deal closed and staff are making preparations for the upcoming winter, as the school board had shut off most of the utilities last year.
White told council the town might have to look at “alternate forms of heating,” as “firing up the boilers,” at this point may be impractical.
The report also notes the building will need to be professionally cleaned and maintained “so it is safe and presentable to prospective purchasers.” Council hopes to be able to sell the school building to private developers, but “is not prepared to make extensive improvements to the building using town funds” unless an agreement is in place.
While the cost for a full renovation could be considerable, White said cleaning and maintenance of the building should only cost “a few thousand.”
Councillor Ron Faulkner said, “It’s all about keeping the structure status quo,” until its fate is determined.
White noted a community meeting is needed to provide public input toward future development of the property. In order to properly investigate future ideas, council approved a work plan from Triton Engineering to provide development options for the site to be presented at a community meeting in the fall.
Under the plan, Triton will be provided pre-engineering work, site grading, drainage and stormwater management plans and preliminary design drawings to illustrate proposed re-development options.
Preliminary sketches presented to council by White show potential configurations combining single-family lots, seniors housing blocks and open space, as well as a re-developed school building.
The existing pedestrian pathway used by Harriston school children to reach Minto Clifford Public School is also marked on the sketches.
“We have a real opportunity to work with the community and make something happen,” White stated at the Aug. 14 meeting.
Another opportunity exists for a unique clear out yard sale this fall. The sale would feature desks, basketball nets, cross country skis, lockers and other equipment left in the school, White suggested.
Mayor George Bridge told the Wellington Advertiser that council felt the purchase became affordable after the school board dropped its asking price for the property to $60,000, after initially asking for more than $200,000.
He said purchasing the property, rather than waiting until it went directly to a private developer gives the municipality some control over the type of development that eventually occurs.
He also said it makes good business sense.
“Municipalities have to look at different ways of doing business. We have to find ways to make money, because we’re not getting it from the government anymore,” he stated.
