UPDATE: About 200 people came out Wednesday night to discuss options for Charles Bloom Secondary in Lumby, a school that is nearly 70 years old.
The district says the public is welcome to input on choices in the coming months.
ORIGINAL POST:
The high school in Lumby is in “very poor” condition and should be considered a high priority to be replaced with a new facility within five years.
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That’s the recommendation of a Kelowna architecture and planning firm hired to prepare a long-term facility plan for School District 22 (Vernon).
The enrollment at Charles Bloom Secondary is about 60 per cent of capacity with little growth expected over the next dozen years.
It’s suggested replacing it with a smaller school may be the preferred option rather than major renovations.
However, that may mean a reduction in program and collaborative spaces as well as workshops and that could impact enrollment.
The school district is engaging in a public consultations regarding the future of Charles Boom Secondary as well as the elementary schools in Lumby and Cherryville.
Those two schools are also in poor condition and the facility plan says major renovations may be needed as a high priority.
There is a public meeting about the future of the three schools Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Charles Bloom Secondary.