HERITAGE – Residents rally to save Stuart Wood from the wrecking ball

A clear message emerged from a rally in front of Stuart Wood School today (Oct. 31, 2026) — don’t even think about tearing it down.

A large crowd attended the rally on the last Saturday of the year for the Farmer’s Market, reacting to a threat that the old building might be demolished and public use of the grounds around it lost.

After listening to speeches, they lined up to sign a petition urging the incoming City council to abandon any thought of turning the site into a new police complex. The petition garnered 310 signatures on the spot, and people also tied yellow ribbons on trees and fences symbolizing hope and solidarity.

The event was organized by members of the Kamloops Heritage Engagement Group, an advisory sub-committee of City council’s Livability and Sustainability Select Committee.

It was prompted by a motion from Coun. Margot Middleton, approved by the outgoing council, to consider alternative sites for the new RCMP detachment headquarters. It specifically includes Stuart Wood as an option.

Councillors had already decided to use the existing RCMP location, putting up a new building beside the current one, then tearing down that one and turning it into a parking lot. Middleton’s resolution calls for a broader search for possible locations.

The rally heard from historian Ken Favrholdt, who spoke about the heritage importance of Stuart Wood School, and Farmers Market manager Greg Unger, who told the crowd about the importance of the site as a green space and as the home site for the weekly market.

Nancy Bepple, an outgoing City councillor who voted against Middleton’s motion when it was approved by council, stressed the importance of community action in the quest to protect tuart Wood.

She pointed out that St. Andrews on the Square was once destined for the wrecker’s ball back in the early 1990s. Community outrage prevented it from happening and it is now one of the city’s most prized heritage buildings.

Emcee Mel Rothenburger said it’s easy to find reasons to tear down Stuart Wood — it’s old, deteriorating, violates modern building codes, doesn’t meet current accessibility standards, and needs significant upgrading.

But Rothenburger and other speakers said there are various possible uses for the currently empty school. They said it and its grounds have tremendous historical, cultural and economic value to Kamloops residents.

One of the reasons the Kamloops School Board closed the school 10 years ago was that it was facing a $4 million bill to upgrade it. The current estimate is $10 million.

Possible sources of funding include the City, provincial and federal grants, and community fundraising.

Several residents took to the open mic to urge that the school be saved and returned to educational uses. When the school board relinquished it, it returned to provincial control, with the City providing $110,000 annually to maintain it to minimum standards as well as look after the grounds.

Mayor-elect Mike O’Reilly, re-elected incumbent Katie Neustaeter and newly elected councillor Jesse Ritcey attended the rally.  Ritcey said after the rally that a firm estimate of upgrade costs is needed so the community knows what the potential is.

Michele Young of the heritage engagement group said the next step will be to continue gathering support in order to convince the new City council to take Stuart Wood off the endangered list and work on a plan for its long-term repurposing.

• Mel Rothenburger