Halifax council unanimously voted for the chief administrative officer to conduct a report into the municipality’s options with the abandoned Bloomfield School in the city’s north end following a fire at the site earlier this month.
District 8 councillor Virginia Hinch, whose riding contains the old school, brought the motion to council during a regular meeting on Tuesday. It calls for a report on options regarding the “unsatisfactory situation” at Bloomfield, including a timeline for the demolition of the remaining structures and cost recovery.
It also seeks an update on the municipality’s buy back options with the property.
“It’s derelict, it’s unsightly, it’s disheartening for our community,” Hinch said. “The community is not happy with how that building looks.”
Following a brief discussion, all 17 councillors and the mayor approved the motion.
“I think what happened here was a real tragedy,” said councillor Patty Cuttell. “We need to have this addressed as soon as possible and it shouldn’t be at the cost of the taxpayer. We’re at an important juncture here.”
The fire broke out at the former school on Agricola Street around 1:35 a.m. on Feb. 16. Crews brought it under control by 5:45 a.m., but one building was destroyed.
Last week workers tore down unstable walls at the site, resulting in road closures in the area for several hours.
“I’d like to know where they are going to dispose of the debris,” councillor Nancy Hartling said. “There are big concerns about how toxic and carcinogenic it is.”
The school has been vacant since 2014. The municipality says it sold the property to developer BANC in 2020 for nearly $22 million.
That deal included a five-year deadline for the developer to begin a revamp of the site.
The municipality says the portion of Agricola Street between Almon and Ontario streets will be closed from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday to “demobilize equipment previously brought to this site to assist with a fire investigation.”
-With files from Callum Smith
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