2016 a ‘pivotal year’ for future of old Moncton High
Indifference has the potential to do more damage to the former Moncton High School building than the thousands of rambunctious teenagers who stomped up and down its stairs and corridors could ever do, but not if a group of concerned Moncton residents and a local MLA can help it.
The group wants to see the remarkable building that housed the former Moncton High School thrive for another 80 years - or more. While they aren't ready to publicly speak about their plan at this early stage, the man quarterbacking it through the provincial bureaucracy believes it has merit.
Collins says the proposal to put the structure to future use is getting a favourable review from the province. "A lot of the heavy lifting has already been done," he says.
Still, a lot has to happen before details can be released and the proposal becomes a reality, not the least of which is federal participation in the plan, which will take time with a federal election set for Oct. 19. At this point, the project's proponents and the provincial government don't even know who the federal governmentwill be.
"lt's a really important heritage, architectural, historic and cultural icon for the city of Moncton," Collins says.
The project has already been reviewed by the province's Regional Development Corporation which is thelead agency in the planning and negotiation of provincial-federal economic development and infrastructureagreements, except for highways.
But don't expect an announcement before spring at the earliest, Collins says.
"The bali is rolling," Collins says, "and it's rolling in the right direction."
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