The future of Vancouver's oldest school

Report Card: 2010 March 9

Should taxpayers spend $625,000 to preserve a 114-year-old, fire-damaged school building in the interest of heritage?

The government has said no, after rejecting a proposal late last year from the Vancouver board of education to restore the frame out-building at Sir Guy Carleton elementary school and transform it into an early learning centre. It has been sitting empty, with a blue tarp over the roof, since it was targeted by arsonists two years ago.

The proposal was developed following a recommendation from the Education Ministry, which noted the building was not needed to accommodate K-12 enrolments in the area since there is already excess capacity in neighbouring schools. Instead, the ministry said the board should consider other options that will make the building "integral to deliver of education for the district's students. The Ministry will then work with district staff to implement the agreed plan."

A report to Vancouver trustees on March 1 said there are 900 empty student spaces in the area, including 180 in Carleton elementary itself.

"Due to the large surplus capacity in the area, relocating an existing education program from another school site into Carleton Building C would not enhance overall capacity utilization for the area," says the report from the district management team. "Therefore, it is difficult to provide justification to the Ministry that the two classroom facility is essential to maintaining educational programs and to release funding to restore the damaged building."

The management team recommended the board proceed with demolition, noting the government has agreed to pick up the $75,000 bill. Trustee Sharon Gregson said the building is an important feature in the community, and the board has asked the community if it has any other ideas about how it can be saved. "All that, though, within the context of - over the next couple of years - the district needing to look at potential school closures, and so wanting to balance the enthusiasm for saving the building with the reality . . . that Carleton could be one of the schools that's up for closure just because of its location."

Some community members have begun a campaign to save the building.