Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn. File photo.
HEATHER BOA Bullet News HOLMESVILLE – The Municipality of Central Huron knows what the public wants to do with the Holmesville Public School when the local school board closes it at the end this school year: Nothing.
“There doesn’t appear to be public support,” said Jim Ginn, who is the municipality’s mayor, after a 20-minute public meeting organized to gather ideas from the public on future possible uses for the 21,000-square-foot building on nine acres. Three members of the general public took seats in the Holmesville Twp. Hall last night to hash out a few ideas with councillors, administration and a school board trustee.
Geared to income housing like the county-operated seniors apartments that recently opened behind Huronview, south of Clinton, was the only community idea that came forward from the public.
“It strikes me that at 160-some-thousand-dollars a unit for that building, and it being far enough away that it’s not a walkable distance to downtown Clinton so there’s going to be vehicle use needed there, I really don’t know what the numbers would be but that’s one conceivable use of the building,” Tom Trick said.
However, Ginn pointed out that public housing is a county responsibility, with the highest needs in Goderich and Clinton.
Board trustee Robert Hunking said the board has not received an appraisal on the building. A facilities report indicates the school requires $1.04 million in architectural, civil, mechanical and electrical repairs and upgrades in the next decade. Most recently, two public schools were sold at auction: Blyth Public School, $210,000 and Zurich Public School, $150,000.
The Municipality of Huron East was the first municipality to purchase a former school in the Avon Maitland District, buying the Brussels Public School for $142,500 to create an incubator for new businesses this past summer.
“I’m not sure whether Holmesville’s the right location for that,” Ginn said.
Esau Tiesma said he has considered purchasing the property but has a number of questions, like how a rezoning application will be received by council and the community.
Central Huron has until early January 2013 to tell the Avon Maitland District School Board whether it’s interested in buying the old school.
Council will make its final decision at a future council meeting.
