Council votes to buy Keys School

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Deep River council has approved the purchase of the former Keys School property, despite concerns from two of its members that the decision could saddle the town with a white elephant.

A recorded vote on a bylaw to enter into a co-ownership agreement with the County of Renfrew for the property saw Councillors Terry Myers and Tom Vaughan giving the deal a thumbs-down.

The Renfrew County District School Board declared the former school as surplus early last year.

The town and the county later agreed to submit a combined expression of interest in the property, followed by an offer to purchase it.

CAO Sean Patterson’s report to council stated that the school board has “informally agreed” to the offer to purchase made by the town and the county.

Once the offer has been formally accepted, the town and the county will work in tandem to identify development potentials for the property, “and work with suitable development partners to implement the concept which best meets the community’s needs and fulfills the town and county’s mandates.”

The two municipal partners are seeking to determine the potential of the property for housing and/or community space…

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