City seeking feedback on the future of Orillia Central School

For immediate release (May 27, 2015) – The City of Orillia is calling on the public to help gather feedback on the future use of the Orillia Central School property through a community engagement survey. 

The Ad Hoc Central School Committee was struck by Council in December 2014 and consists of three members of Council: Councillor Tim Lauer, Councillor Jeff Clark and Councillor Mason Ainsworth.  The Committee’s mandate is to conduct an analysis of the current and future use of the property known as 26 Coldwater Street and to prepare recommendations for consideration by Council. 

The Committee has launched a survey designed to capture the public’s ideas about how the property should be used in the future.  

“It is important that the Committee hear from the community and we hope as many Orillians as possible will take the time to participate in this survey,” said Councillor Tim Lauer, Chair of the Ad Hoc Central School Committee. 

The Orillia Central School property was built in 1882.  In 2010 the City of Orillia purchased the property. Since that time, the property has been maintained with one tenant occupying approximately 30% of the existing building space. A portion of the property is also currently used as a municipal permit parking lot. The property has a Heritage designation and a structural review in 2014 reported that the building is in good condition. 

For more information on the Ad Hoc Central School Committee, or to take the survey, visit orillia.ca/centralschool.  The survey is also available in paper format at both the first floor and third floor Orillia City Centre reception desks. The Orillia Central School Survey is open for comment until June 19, 2015. 

The City of Orillia is a city of 31,000 people in the heart of Ontario’s Lake Country on the shores of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. 

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Councillor Tim Lauer
Chair, Ad Hoc Central School Committee
705-325-5812
tlauer@sympatico.ca 

Laura Thompson
Manager of Communications
705-325-8929
705-826-4399 (cell)
lthompson@orillia.ca