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 Intrinsic
      
Location: Collingwood
Gender: Male
 |  | Branch does not want Alma repeat (St Thomas, ON) news
< on 9/24/2009 7:16 PM >
|  | | | Though it's dedicated to heritage, the St. Thomas-Elgin branch of Architectural Conservancy of Ontario doesn't want to see a repeat of this particular chapter in local history.
With a number of city schools either closed or closing, the branch wants to ensure they don't meet the same fate as Alma College, vacant and derelict when it was destroyed in 2008 by arson.
Two teenage boys accused of setting the fire are to learn their fate today in a St. Thomas courtroom.
The local branch of the ACO rose from the ashes of Alma, and this week members adopted a series of resolutions in hopes Thames Valley District School Board and St. Thomas will take steps to ensure the future of several historical schools in the community, including Wellington Street Public School, a designated landmark.
"(The Alma fire) is obviously echoing," ACO branch president Suzanne Van Bommel said yesterday.
"It's a song we've heard played before, isn't it, and we'd like it not be be repeated."
It's the first advocacy action undertaken by the local organization, founded only five months ago, and follows a talk Tuesday by retired educator and local historian Paul Baldwin.
"I think there's an issue with heritage schools -- and I hope there's a concern," he said Wednesday in an interview.
Baldwin says closed schools can be adapted for new lives.
"It's a process of some complication and it's a process of some cost, but it's certainly a do-able thing. There are many examples around the province . . . ."
But the former Aylmer mayor also warns that without support for their redevelopment like property-tax breaks -- which he notes cost nothing, because schools don't pay taxes -- vacant schools may stand empty and targets of vandals.
In addition to Wellington, slated to close in December, Elmdale and Myrtle Street schools are closed. Balaclava and Scott Street schools are proposed for closing and Arthur Voaden Secondary School is threatened.
ACO members decided on several actions in hopes of protecting at least Wellington, Balaclava and Voaden and find new uses for the three:
* To seek heritage designation by St. Thomas for Balaclava and Arthur Voaden;
* To ask city council to make Wellington, Balaclava and Voaden eligible for the same Community Improvement Plan grants which already support Talbot Street storefront restoration, and to seek property-tax breaks for their redevelopment;
* To voice their concern to Thames Valley District School board; and
* To organize a meeting between the school board, St. Thomas and its municipal heritage meeting to explore options.
With environmental concerns and the economy both leading issues, the timing may be right.
Baldwin said the ACO currently is promoting reuse of buildings as green alternatives to constructing new. He said he can imagine Wellington and Balaclava, where he played as a child, as condominium residences, and their gyms and grounds as community assets.
Van Bommel said governments are looking for projects to create economic stimulus and school redevelopment as community facilities could fit the bill.
And Baldwin said redevelopment creates more local jobs than building new.
"You look at some of those schools and they're so beautiful," Van Bommel said.
"Wellington Street and Balaclava, you just think, 'Oh, my goodness!'"
Source
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RCR619
Location: ONT
Gender: Male
| | Re: Branch does not want Alma repeat (St Thomas, ON) news
<Reply # 1 on 9/26/2009 3:40 PM >
| | | | Elmdale elementary, and Myrtle street school in St. Thomas have all been closed within the last year too. Wellington street school, Scott street school and balaclava elementary still have a few classes going but will be closed at the end of the year.
Those buildings are all in a close area to each other so I can understand the concern for vandalism. Especially since they are in the oldest parts of the city. Oddly enough Wellington street school is only 3 blocks from Alma and 1 block from the soon to be closed "old courthouse". Before Alma burned down you could see it from the top floor of Wellington street school in the fall and winter.
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