Museum land sought for new school
The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board says it needs nearly half of the property belonging to the Peterborough Museum and Archives to build a new public elementary school on abutting lands.
The new building would be next door to King George Public School, which is slated for closure.
The new school is going built and open by September 2019; that’s when King George will close.
Although there’s no plan to raze King George Public School, it’s still unclear how the 104-year-old building can be re-used.
One thing’s clear: The Museum and Archives is unlikely to move in.
Officials at the museum discussed it, says a new city staff report, and they have no use for the King George building.
Still, the museum board and the school board both say the building is worth saving – it’s just not clear exactly how.
Meanwhile, there’s the question of the land the school board wants.
The city staff report says the board has requested an L-shaped piece of land to the south and west of the museum’s new Curatorial Centre.
It represents about 1.75 acres of the museum’s four acres.
Although the city report says museum officials weren’t happy about losing the land, there’s an upside: the school board will help pay for a new watermain and repairs to Museum Dr. (including a new sidewalk).
The report doesn’t say how much all that work would cost, although it estimates that the watermain alone would be $200,000.
City staff is recommending that council approve the plan to hand over the land – and also work with the school board to do the roadwork, in exchange.
Councillors are expected to debate it Monday.
The report also emphasizes that the school board wants to save King George Public School, which is a structurally sound.
The report says the city can help by designating it a Heritage Building, which would allow certain tax breaks.
There are other ways the city can help save King George too: it can consider other municipal uses for the building, for example.
The plans will be discussed at a committee meeting at City Hall on Monday.
Don’t forget to check The Examiner’s website on Monday for livestreaming of the meeting, plus blogging. It all begins at 6:30 p.m.