AB Ellis demolition begins

Timmins The Daily Press

AB Ellis demolition begins

Chloe Kneer, Dec 01, 2022

Photo by CHLOE KNEER Rainbow District School Board is going ahead with its plan to demolish the 100-year-old AB Ellis Public School in Espanola and use the property as a parking lot.

After years of effort to spare the over 100-year-old AB Ellis Public School in Espanola from the wrecking ball, demolition crews have converged on site to begin the process of taking the building down.

Rainbow District School Board intends to use the property for parking to alleviate the amount of on-street parking that has been necessitated due to a lack of space elsewhere for teachers and staff.

The Rainbow Community Non-Profit Housing Corporation, led by director Lynne Dee Sproule, made an urgent appeal to Espanola’s town council back in April, asking them for their support to reinvigorate the building into affordable apartments.

In her presentation, Sproule provided renderings which detailed that, in addition to the living spaces, the property could accommodate 174 parking spaces. At no time did Sproule suggest that the town should take ownership of the project.

Despite the corporation’s, and the group Save AB Ellis (SABE) before it, efforts, the school demolition will proceed.

The housing crisis in Espanola and area has increased, leading to the region comprising more than half of the waitlist at the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board.