Council officially gave its blessing Monday to the city’s new role as a partner in maintaining the former Etienne Brule public school as a community hub.
The announcement regarding the Etienne Brule site, the Algoma District School (ADSB) and the city was made Friday.
A number of community uses have been proposed for the site, foremost of which is an extension of the Hub Trail running through the Etienne Brule property, from Huron Street to the bike pump track proposed for next year at Esposito Park.
The cost of extending the Hub Trail from Huron Street to John Street is approximately $160,000, and will include the cost of lighting through the Etienne Brulé property.
Council approved taking a maximum of $160,000 from the unallocated capital surplus to construct the Hub Trail spoke, an increase in the operating budget of $10,000 to the city for annual, ongoing maintenance of the area once the project is complete, and directed city staff and its partners to look into all possible funding sources for the project, and for staff to report back to council no later than October.
Construction of the Hub Trail portion of the project will take place in 2016.
The school board will keep up the ownership of the school building and responsibility for the programs offered within it, and ownership of the outside property too, while the city will be responsible for upkeep of several proposed outdoor features on the school’s grounds.
The Captain Nicola Goddard Park, built in 2007, continues to be well used.
The city will assume responsibility for the playground.
The city will accept responsibility for improvements to and maintenance of two basketball courts on the property.
The City will not be responsible for day-to-day upkeep of the Canal District Community Garden, which recently relocated to the site from nearby Esposito Park.
The city says this will be the subject of a separate agreement.
There is also a chance to secure funding through Ontario Works or CN’s EcoConnexions Program to set up an urban orchard on the property.
There may also be additional funding available to establish a sugar maple stand of trees on the property as part of a cooperative educational initiative in conjunction with the urban orchard.
The ADSB will be looking into the establishment of a First Nations Spirit Garden as a cultural and spiritual centre for urban aboriginals in Sault Ste. Marie.
The school board is also looking into building a greenhouse on the property, as an addition to the old school building.
There is a variety of funding sources for all of these features, which include the federal government’s CIP150 Program, the Ontario Trillium Fund and contributions from local service clubs and the private sector.
Construction of these features will take place as funding becomes available.
Etienne Brule public school was closed as an elementary school in June 2014.
In September 2014, the building was reopened as the home to the Urban Aboriginal Alternative School, which is a partnership between the ADSB and the Indian Friendship Centre.
The building also houses the Teen Parent Initiative, a partnership between the ADSB, the Children’s Aid Society and the YMCA.
This fall, the Sault Ste. Marie Alternative Daycare will also be relocating into the building, with a new playground designed for young children.
The building also serves other uses, such as the StitchCo project, a joint venture between Ontario Works and Superior Skills.