Ministry approves final phase of school renewal in the Espanola area

Rainbow District School Board has received Ministry of Education approval to proceed with the final phase of school renewal in Espanola. The Ministry of Education is providing $2.7 million to remove the former A.B. Ellis Public School and repurpose the site on Park Street.

News of the funding was shared with Trustees at a Special Meeting of Rainbow District School Board held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. The project, which will begin this spring, is scheduled to be finalized by the fall. This will bring the Espanola renewal project to completion and eliminate the ongoing operating costs associated with the vacant school.

In keeping with the Espanola education plan presented to the community in 2014, the property will be reconfigured to provide much-needed parking for the revitalized Espanola High School and the new A.B. Ellis Public School. This will alleviate the traffic congestion in the area. Green space will also be incorporated into the overall design.

The schools, which share one site, are located across the street from the former A.B. Ellis Public School. Additional parking beyond daily needs will be available for school events, such as graduations, concerts and sports. The community will have access to the parking outside of school hours for the Recreation Complex and other nearby facilities.

Rainbow District School Board declared the former A.B. Ellis Public School building surplus to its needs on March 19, 2019. The motion was approved at the request of a community group who wanted to explore the feasibility of renovating the building for non-profit housing.

In accordance with Ministry of Education regulations, surplus school board properties must be offered to a prescribed list of public agencies before they can be offered for sale to the general public.

While the Town of Espanola has no interest in the property, the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board has expressed an interest in possibly acquiring a portion of the land. They have no interest in the building. In the future, the Board could consider severing a portion of the land, if declared surplus to the Board’s needs.

-30-

Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.