Image Credit: FILE PHOTO

KAMLOOPS - Landscape improvement discussions are in progress for the old Stuart Wood elementary school property.

The school was used as temporary homeless shelter last winter and is not being considered for that use again.

Kamloops city staff are seeking council's authorization to approve $200,000 from a General Reserve Fund to upgrade the landscape at the former elementary school to potentially pursue a cultural facility with Tk'emlups te Secwepemc and the province.

In order to change the uses of the former elementary school property, the city must return the land title back to the province and apply for a Sponsored Crown Grant from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. The city will do this while engaging with local Indigenous communities, the report says.

"The city is continuing to work through administrative processes for redeveloping the Stuart Wood property," a report to council says. "While the city is working diligently through these processes, interim landscaping and site improvements to make the property safer and more functional are recommended in anticipation of a formal partnership on long-term uses of the property."

The improvements include replacing the previous fencing, taking out an existing outbuilding, removing goal posts, relocating a swing set, constructing a pathway to Memorial Hill Park, constructing a minor retaining wall, installing irrigation as well as other minor site improvements, the report says.

The report states $50,000 will be allocated to demolish the existing outbuilding which has become the target of vandalism located on the former school property. An estimated $150,000 will be used for the landscaping and site improvements. The project will be managed by the city's civic operations department and if approved, the proposed upgrades would be completed this fall.

Council will make a decision tomorrow, Sept. 25, at their regular meeting at 1:30 p.m. at city hall.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/City of Kamloops

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