Push to give old Lorne middle school a new purpose enters final stretch

It's the final stretch in the movement to turn the former Lorne middle school into a community resource centre, says Barry Galloway, executive director for the charity trying to save the building.

"We need to make it sustainable," said Galloway, whose ONE Change group is looking for a major investor to help renovate the building.

For example, if we have a health centre on premises, we would encourage a pharmacy or doctor's office.- Barry Galloway, ONE Change

"We've been trying to see how could we use the school to build the capacity of the neighbourhood."

In September 2015, the New Brunswick Court of Appeal upheld the province's decision to close the north end school, which Galloway said was a blow to the community.

In response, ONE Change the ONE stands for Old North End created a new vision for the building as a place that would house resources the community needs.

These would include a doctor's office, an early learning centre, a pharmacy or even low-income housing, all bundled into one convenient location, Galloway said.

While the door is open to non-profits and for-profit businesses alike, he said, the group is only considering local groups or tenants that directly address a need not just any business looking for an office.

"For example, if we have a health centre on premises, we would encourage a pharmacy or doctor's office," he said.

"Everything is a little nebulous at this point until we have firm commitments from potential partners and tenants, and if and when we can acquire the building."

Needs $100,000 a year to run

Last year, ONE Change received a $40,000 grant to conduct a feasibility study.

Now, the organization has concluded it will cost $100,000 to keep the building running, $75,000 of which has been pledged already from local businesses and tenants looking to move in.

Galloway said the groupispreparing to make a presentation to the province in the next two months on the proposed repurposing.

"Right now, we're trying to piece together all the commitments," he said.

Additionally, the structural integrity of the building was examined during the feasibility study and found to be excellent, Gallowaysaid.

Now, with the $75,000 per year committed from tenants for the first five years, the charity is busy assemblingthe last $25,000

"This group of business partners I've been working with now, we've only been working with for two or three weeks," he said. "They almost have that $25,000 in place."

Big investor still needed

"The key to this is we're still looking for a large investor," Galloway said. "In order to do the renovation piece, we kind of need $1 million right upfront."

He said ONE Change believed it had locked one down, but that deal fell through.

He said the group needsthis large sum to divide the classrooms into offices and repair the roof.

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"We've been meeting with a number of different people and have been for a while," he said.

Galloway hopes that if the presentation goes well, the province will sell the building for as little as $1.

He said this model for social innovation, of incorporating all these resources into a building that would otherwise be knocked down, is new to Saint John and maybe even New Brunswick.

"I don't think this kind of approach has been done anywhere before," Galloway said. "I think we have the opportunity to turn the tables for a lot of people in a positive way."