Central Frontenac to demolish Sharbot Lake Public School

Jeff Green | Jan 06, 2016

School purchases and associated costs hit $400,000

Central Frontenac Council has decided to spend $2,000 to secure all salvageable items in the former Sharbot Lake Public School. They also have authorized Chief Building Officer Jeremy Nevens to prepare an RFP for demolition of the building. Nevens estimates the net cost of the demolition at $150,000.

At a special meeting held on December 21st, Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith told Council about a site visit to the school she took a few days earlier with Neven, Fire Chief Bill Young, and other staff and two other members of Council.

“We found that the building has deteriorated, and that the asbestos issue is pretty extensive. As Jeremy will tell you, re-purposing that building for another use is not viable,” Smith said.

“The cost of removing the asbestos would be high, and as soon as the building is being altered it would have to adhere to the current building code and accessibility regulations,” said Neven, “so you would be looking at over a million dollars to get anywhere with it.”

Smith explained that she wanted to meet before Christmas because it will cost $30,000 to heat and carry the building through the winter, and a decision on buying more oil for the beginning of winter needed to be made right away.

“I don't see us spending $30,000 if we are just going to tear down the building anyway,” she said.

The alternative Jeremy Neven proposed was to invest $2,000 in blowing out all the plumbing lines to make sure that none of the cast iron or plumbing fixtures, which can potentially be sold as salvage, will be damaged.

Demolition companies deduct the amount of money they realize from salvaging copper, metal and other marketable materials.

The only question raised by Council was about the timing of the demolition.

“With the cost of the purchase and the increase in OPP costs, perhaps we can wait a year or two before spending the money to tear the building down, because none of wants to see a tax increase if 8 or 9 per cent this year,” said Councillor Brent Cameron.

Councillor Bill MacDonald raised a concern about vandalism if the building is left standing and the message having a derelict building in place gives out to the public.

Treasurer Michael McGovern said that there is over $300,000 in a reserve fund that could be used to finance the demolition and then be replenished “over 2 to 3 years.”

In the end Council decided to defer the decision about when to demolish the school until the cost is better known. They passed a motion to “decommission the building and prepare it for demolition” without putting any time-line on the project.

Jeremy Neven has volunteered to co-ordinate the distribution of useable supplies in the school that do not have a cash value for salvage. These include desks, chairs, equipment, slates, white boards, etc.

“We will contact the not-for-profits in the area to see if they can use some of what is there. There was a lot left behind when the school board left and moved over to Granite Ridge,” Smith said.

Council also decided not to demolish Hinchinbrooke School at this time.

“The asbestos issues at Hinchinbrooke may not be as extensive,” said Neven “although we don't know for sure, but the building is newer.”

Frances Smith said that the community group that was looking at possible uses for the building a couple of years ago is still interested.

“There is also some commercial interest in the property,” she added.

It will cost $30,000 to maintain Hinchinbrooke School through the winter. With a purchase price of $220,000 for the two properties, $2,000 for decommissioning Sharbot Lake Public School and an estimated $150,000 in demolition costs, the entire project now has a $402,000 price tag.