D.A. Gordon Public School is now available for purchase on the open market.
Re/Max Chatham-Kent Realty Inc. has the former Wallaceburg school listed at a price of $249,900.
The listing describes the property as a two storey school in Wallaceburg, 34,000 square feet, which includes 20 classrooms, a gymnasium, offices and lots of washrooms.
The property sits on 2.83 acres of land, and has outdoor play equipment.
The listing also says that the price includes a lot 56 x 69.30 at 408 King Street, which was used for staff parking just across the street from the school.
The sales representative listed for the property is Rick Strain, and he can be reached at 519-352-2840.
After the school closed in June, the Lambton-Kent District School Board had to follow the Ministry of Education Act procedures for surplus properties.
“That means we get it appraised and it is offered to our coterminous board, which is the separate system, and some of the other government organizations,” Carmen McGregor told us back in July. “They have first offer on it and that is a 90-day process. If the 90 days go by and there is no offer, at that point it comes back to us then we offer it out to the public. It gets listed by real estate, and it gets listed on the open market for sale.”
McGregor, said she is hopeful that the building and property will be used again.
“I would really hope that somebody or something happens within the community that someone chooses to pick up on the property, it could be put to very good use,” she said in July. “Certainly with the prospect of revitalizing the south-side. It is close to the Museum, there is some really good sized classrooms, an absolutely wonderful-sized gym. A community-centre or something to that effect would be an excellent prospect for that building, along with many others.”
Jim Costello, director of education, also told us in July that the former McKeough Public School in Chatham is a great example of a “re-purposed” former school.
“It has been purchased and re-purposed for a health and exercise facility,” Costello said. “It would be our hope that somebody from the Wallaceburg community would find a good use for that building and purchase it at fair market value and use it, re-purpose it, re-configure it. I think it would be great for the community.”
The D.A. Gordon property has been on the open market for three days.
The decision was made to close the school after a lengthy accommodation review process in Wallaceburg.
Watch for more on this story in the Sydenham Current.
