The former Hillcrest School will be sold to the City of Belleville, as approved by the Board of Trustees Monday night.
The school was declared surplus to the needs of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board on March 26, 2018. At that time HPEDSB followed the disposal process outlined in Ontario Regulation 444/98.
"Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board is pleased to see its surplus property used in a positive way, to complement existing infrastructure and for the betterment of the community. As public sector organizations it is imperative we work together to stimulate sustainable growth and improve quality of life in a way that will benefit us all," said Shannon Binder, Chair of the Board.
"The City of Belleville is grateful to the HPEDSB for accepting our offer on the Hillcrest School site and we appreciate Director Monteith facilitating the quick resolution of the sale," said Mayor Mitch Panciuk. "We will now undertake community consultations to hear from area residents about what potential recreation and green spaces they would like to see on this site. This is consistent with our desire to provide more quality of life offerings for Belleville residents."
The $800,000 sale price was agreed to following appraisals by both parties: $950,000 by appraisers for HPEDSB and $800,000 by appraisers for the City. The closing date is January 15, 2020.
The 2.8 hectare property is located at 88 West Street in Belleville. The school was closed in June 2017 following an accommodation review. At that time it was a JK-Grade 5 school with an enrolment of 121 students and a capacity of 168 students, representing a 72% utilization rate. The school was built in 1942 with renovations/additions in 1950 and 1968.
For more information, please contact:
- HPEDSB: Kerry Donnell, Communications Manager, 613-966-1170 or 1-800- 267-4350, extension 62354, [email protected]
- City of Belleville: Marilyn Warren, Communications Coordinator, 613-967-3200, ext. 3263, [email protected]