A report to Essex Town Council suggests converting the former Harrow High School into a community centre would be a costly endeavour.
The conversion is a pet project for new Mayor Sherry Bondy. She proposed turning it into a place for recreational activity in 2016 when it closed, and she was a town councillor.
Since then, the town bought the former high school and surrounding lands from the Greater Essex County District School Board and hired consultants Haddad, Morgan and Associates to conduct a costing study to see how much it would cost to create a community hub.
When the town signed the papers, the building had already sat empty for five years.
Just restoring the building to a suitable site for a school would cost over $8.6-million, but that's not an option for the town. Bringing it up to modern building codes, including accessibility standards, and removing the asbestos could cost more than $10-million.
Architectural costs, including fixing the roof and chimney, and restoring the brickwork, will cost over $2.7-million. The price tag for upgrading the mechanical systems is $3.6-million, and $2.1-million for electrical.
Town councillors will review the report on Monday night.
A recommendation from town staff suggests using the remaining funding in the capital budget for the project, $35,457, for ongoing expenses at Harrow High, including future assessments.
