A request by the Town of Ponoka to lease a portion of the old Ponoka Elementary School – pink building – was approved by Wolf Creek Public Schools (WCPS) board of trustees.
The request was presented to trustees Wednesday, Sept. 2 during a regular meeting after secretary-treasurer Joe Henderson explained Ponoka’s Town Hall appears to be at the end of its life. “They were really looking for space,” said Henderson.
The lease is set for 10 years at a cost of $10 per year with Henderson saying WCPS would have a proviso that the town pay for utilities and some repairs to the north end of the building.
“Realistically if they don’t go in there it could be sitting empty for a long time,” he added.
The leased space would include the library, music room and a classroom on the north end of the building.
Henderson said the Ponoka Air Cadets and some WCPS departments are also housed in the building. Trustees voted unanimously in favour of the agreement.
Potters guild to move in
Trustees also approved a request for the Ponoka Potters Guild to lease two upstairs classrooms for a 10 year period.
In a letter to WCPS, guild president Shelley MacGregor said the organization has grown over the years.
“For the past five years the guild has been fortunate to have found a temporary home above the Don Laing Trailer offices but we are growing too big for that space and are looking for something more permanent,” said MacGregor.
The lease includes the cost of utilities and a lease amount of five dollars per year.
Henderson told trustees the alarm security system will need some upgrades to accommodate the many groups in the building. He expects alarm costs to be approximately $30,000.