Pictou taking over academy ownership in September

The Town of Pictou won’t claim ownership of the former Pictou Academy until September. Pictou Mayor Jim Ryan said Friday the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board has contacted the town saying its original plan to turn the school over in July has now been extended to Sept. 15. He said the school board and town are starting to work together to figure out water and sewer lines as well as the division of the property. The school board voted to close the current Pictou Academy at this end of this school year and move grades 9-12 into Dr. Thomas McCulloch School. It will be renamed Pictou Academy and students from primary to 8 will be housed in Pictou Elementary which will be renamed McCulloch Educational Centre. Ryan said property issues concerning the gymnasium are also being worked out to determine where it falls in terms of belonging to the old or new academy. “Delays by the board are not helpful in this case,” he said. “’Now they are telling us they won’t be out until mid-September so we will probably need to maintain the building for a year and make sure it is weather proof.” He said council has not budgeted for any costs for Pictou Academy this coming fiscal year because it didn’t know what expenses it would generate after it is closed by the board. Any expenses will be paid through the town’s operating reserves. If council does plan to ask for requests for proposals, which can be a lengthy process and involve public consultation. The town’s uncertain future with the Academy is similar to that of the River John School and county council. This school was closed in 2015 and turned back over to the county as a surplus building. The county maintained the building for two years and allowed community groups to use it, but as of June it is vacant. The county has not made any decision on what it plans to do with the building, but it has budgeted for its demolition if that is deemed necessary by council.