Vacant Former High School, Chatham Ontario

Many communities are faced with closing of their local schools in the face of declining enrolments, consolidation of schools by boards and a financing formula which emphasizes efficient use of space. What will happen to those school buildings, buildings that often are important to their communities?

Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and Community Heritage Ontario invite you to a conference on the issue of preserving school buildings with cultural heritage significance in their communities. The event will take place on Saturday, February 28, 2009 beginning at 10:00 am in the Common Room of the Kensington Market Lofts at 21 Nassau Street, a site of particular interest in this context because it is a converted school building, the former Provincial Institute of Trades which was incorporated into George Brown College. A tour of the Lofts may be arranged to see what is possible in converting such a building. The location is easily accessible by Toronto public transportation and there is a parking garage one block south.