(Nicole Reis/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Nicole Reis

Dorintosh School

Demolition of Dorintosh School up for discussion at board meeting

Jan 9, 2020 | 4:53 PM

The Dorintosh School closure is presenting some challenges for Northwest School Division #203.

The board met this morning to discuss the fate of the school grounds as the announcement of its closure came in late November last year.

“Upon notification of [the school] closing, the lease agreement was found and the current lease expires in 2029. We need to provide a 12-month written notice and we have 60 days to return the property to its original state,” Bob Tough, facilities supervisor, said at the meeting.

Demolition involves removal of the school structure and the playground equipment in order to return the land to its original state.

“I’ve reached out to the community and suggested they should look at purchasing the property at a minimum, so that way we can at least leave them their playground equipment that the community raised funds for,” Tough said.

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Dorintosh Community Co-Op raised nearly $20,000 for the school playground approximately eight years ago and the village’s Deputy Mayor Brad Osborne told meadowlakeNOW the community would like to keep its equipment.

“At this point we are in very preliminary stages with the school division where they have provided us with some basic information on what the options are for us to consider and what is involved in the takeover and as a council we have not discussed it formally,” Osborne said.

The school board estimated the demolition of Dorintosh School would cost approximately $100,000 to $150,000 since the school presents no asbestos and is constructed of wood instead of concrete. The school is slated to close June 30.

The school’s closure is set against a backdrop of low enrolment at schools across the region.

Dorintosh council has changed today’s meeting and will meet Thursday Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the village office.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722