LETTER – Let civic leaders know that Stuart Wood must be saved as a school
Dear Kamloops residents:
As Mel Rothenburger so aptly pointed out, the Kamloops’ downtown core is getting crowded and will be more so if the proposed City Gardens housing complex goes ahead. (“Stuart Wood needs to be recommissioned as a school,” September 29, 2020, Armchair Mayor.) More housing means more children; more children will require a school in the area.
According to Kamloops City Councillor Denis Walsh, ”the recent Downtown Planning Advisory Committee (DTAC) also identified the need for a future public elementary school in the downtown core.” (“Keeping Stuart Wood as a school needs a strong lobby,” October 4, 2020, Armchair Mayor.) Walsh says it could cost taxpayers $20-30 million to build a new elementary school downtown, whereas a maximum $5 million would upgrade Stuart Wood to a safer, functional elementary school.
Armchair Mayor reader Lorraine Winter replies to the editorial, “Stuart Wood could and should once again become the vibrant neighbourhood place of learning and childhood memories that it was originally built to be. . . . let’s do what we can to give all the kids in the downtown a good place to grow from.
In the same editorial, Frank Dwyer comments, “an elementary school is at the heart of community. . . . This brick palace of sorts has sat vacant for too long. It is a fine and historic school. Let’s return it to that prized role.”
Trudy Montgomery adds, “return that beautiful old gem to a school which also happens to be its’ highest and best use. . . and get buy-in from the developer.”
There it is, folks. A few arguments and opinions from Kamloops residents for keeping and restoring to its original purpose a Kamloops heritage building. We have such a poor record of retaining our built heritage. Let’s do it for Stuart Wood School, which will not only serve a functional purpose but also a unique, made-in-Kamloops juxtaposition to the new and modern City Gardens housing complex.
Write, email or phone the following to advocate for recommissioning Stuart Wood School:
School District No. 73 – Kamloops Thompson
Att: Rhonda Kershaw (Chair)
1383 9th Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3X7
250-374-0679
Tk’emlups te Secwépemc Council
Rosanne Casimir, Chief
200 – 330 Chief Alex Thomas Way, Kamloops, BC V2H 1H1
250-828-9700 communications@kib.ca
City of Kamloops Mayor and Council
7 Victoria Street West, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 12
250-828-3311 info@kamloops.ca
Honourable Rob Fleming (this may change after the election)
Minister of Education, Government of BC
PO Box 9045 Stn. Prov. Gov’t.
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
250-356 8247 educ.minister@gov.bc.ca
Premier John Horgan (this may change after the election)
PO Box 9041 Stn. Prov. Gov’t.
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
250-387-1715 premier@gov.bc.ca
Kelson Group
Jason Fawcett, President, Ron Fawcett, Executive Director
208 4th Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C3N5
250-372-1940 kelsongrooup.com
TRISH KEEGAN
ArmchairMayor.ca 
We need to lobby our “leaders” (especially the local ones) to do what is the right thing to do? The way I see it, that is quite an awkward way of doing things. Indeed Stuart Wood should be an elementary school, a very unique one.