Ottawa West News
September 18, 2017
Another $9 million is needed for the completion of a francophone community centre at 2720 Richmond Rd.
With the money, proponents say the former Grant School property could be ready for use in September of 2019.
When giving an update on Sept. 15, Linda Savard, president of the French public school board, said a grant proposal was submitted to the Ontario government in May for the funds.
The board partnered with the Centre Multiservices Francophone de l’Ouest d’Ottawa last year to help move the project along.
The groups are also discussing purchase of the annex, the back portion of the site, from the city.
“We would own both sites and be able to renovate the Grant School and build the community room and the gymnasium,” Savard said.
In 2009, the property value for both the land, split into two parcels, was estimated at $3,940,000.
Council granted the school parcel to the CMFO at a value of $1,940,000.
According to city documents, the 2010 council provided that the grant approval was to be “the city’s total contribution” to the project.
The annex piece could have been purchased for $2 million by the end of Jan. 2014, but CMFO did not go ahead with its purchase of the parcel. That part of the property was recently the site of vandalism.