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Surplus & Former School Properties
#1
Surplus & Former School Properties


As the demographics of neighbourhoods change, existing schools can face declining enrollment and face the decision of closure. Former school sites can offer excellent redevelopment and intensification opportunities, as seen with the Alexandra School Lofts in Waterloo and the Victoria School in Kitchener.


This thread is to document and discuss school sites that have been declared surplus. If a redevelopment is proposed, a new and individual development thread can be created.


Waterloo Region District School Board Surplus Properties:
http://www.wrdsb.ca/planning/1138-2/
  • Former Dickson Public School building and property | 65 St. Andrew’s Street, Cambridge | Approximately 1.01 acres

  • Former Lincoln Avenue Public School building and property | 77 Lincoln Avenue, Cambridge | Approximately 4.36 acres

  • Former Alison Park Public School vacant site | 30 Lauris Avenue, Cambridge | Approximately 3.79 acres

  • Vacant site on St. Andrews Street | Township of North Dumfries (Coleman Farm 2) | 5.93 acres (subject to survey)

Waterloo Region Catholic District School Board Surplus Properties:

  • Former St. Patrick Catholic School building and property | 50 Burgetz Avenue, Kitchener, ON

      
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#2
Alison Park is in no man's land as far as Cambridge goes; redevelopment certainly, but the odds of intensification are slim. Dickson and Lincoln Ave definitely though; Dickson would make a good loft conversion.
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#3
It has not been declared surplus, but the Sacred Heart School (81 Moore Ave) has been closed for a long time. The only use lately as far as I know is occasional training by the Regional Police.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board accepted bids for consulting services to examine the potential for redevelopment. I'm not sure what came out of that, but it's identified in municipal planning as a potential site for redevelopment.

I've always wondered why it has not been surplused and sold by now; it would be a very good spot for redevelopment.
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#4
What are the chances that the school boards need to look for new properties downtown as the neighbourhoods intensify. Wouldn't it be hilarious if, after the WRDSB and WCDSB effectively abandoned the downtown cores at the behest of the provincial funding model, found themselves needing to acquire several acres downtown for a school site? Does anyone know if Toronto has run into issues where former school deserts needed to have a school added?
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#5
This is already happening in Vancouver, and the boards there are finding space for new schools by doing them a bit differently than they are used to: I read about one that is opening soon that will be four storeys, evidently rare for an elementary school. I surmise that it's a challenge, but not insurmountable. I've never heard of this being an issue in Toronto.

It would be funny if the Waterloo boards had to one day look for space to accommodate students in the cores, after they abandoned the central neighbourhoods.
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#6
Toronto has, for the most part, kept a good stock of urban schools.  In North York Centre, they're dealing with condo population explosion by busing kids out to the further-flung suburban schools that are seeing population declines as the suburbs age and de-populate.  The local school, Avondale Public School, is about to be completely rebuilt to handle several hundred new students. Here's an interesting presentation about that.

Additionally, in downtown Toronto:
For the most part, right now the condos are re-filling enrollment that was declining due to the general depopulation of downtown of the 70-90s.
The CityPlace forest is scheduled to have a brand new school built in its final development parcel.
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#7
Forgot one!  Monsignor William Gleason Catholic Elementary School on 155 Westwood in Kitchener.

Tender for former William Gleason school

Per the SPECIAL PLANNING & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES COMMITTEE MINUTES of June 9, 2014:

"He advised that the subject lands are currently designated as Low Rise
Residential; however, under the new OP it is proposed that the subject property be designated
as Institutional."


Would be a lovely area for a retirement community/nursing home, that is for sure.
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