No plan yet for CAPE School building
The Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education has not discussed the future of the current CAPE School building yet, says MHCBE chair Dick Mastel. CAPE will be moving out of its existing building, which is owned by the Catholic Separate School District, into the former north wing of Hat High some time next year, leaving its building in the Flats vacant.
“We have a meeting scheduled with CAPE coming up in the new year to be discussing those things,” says Mastel. “We are looking at finding out exactly when they are going to be vacating the property. At that time, we’ll have to have a discussion of what the future of the building is going to be.”
Mastel says possible sale of the building is not necessarily the first option.
“The School Act outlines what the disposition of property is,” he explains. “There is a prescribed process. First of all we have to decide whether we have any use for it, or another school board has any use for it. Then it goes down the line of all these options, and ultimately the last thing on the list is offering it up for sale.”
Mastel states at this time MHCBE has not received any inquiries about future uses of the building, originally built in 1913.
“We haven’t received any interest from another school to go in there yet,” he confirms. “I think it is highly unlikely we will ... It is very much up in the air as to what the future of the building is going to be ... It is ultimately the hope someone will take over the building and keep something there.”
Mastel also wishes CAPE School well on its move over to the new school grounds at Hat High in the coming year.
“It has been an excellent relationship between them and ourselves,” states Mastel. “I know they are very crowded in there now, and they are due for an expansion and some facilities.”