Mill Street School property sold locally

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — The South Shore Christian School has finalized plans to purchase Mill Street Centennial School from the Municipality of Leamington.

The municipality purchased the school at the corner of Lutsch Avenue and Mill Street East from the Greater Essex District School Board in January.

At that time, they also purchased the former LDSS property on Talbot Street West.

Mayor Hilda MacDonald was pleased that the former Mill Street property will remain as a school.

“We’re very happy for this,” she said. “This keeps the profile of the neighbourhood intact.”

MacDonald said that the school is in “very good shape” and allows South Shore Christian School to move their students in by the start of this September’s school year.

It also has freed up funds for the municipality to purchase strategically located properties that will fit the waterfront design. One such property is on Erie Street South.

“This option will provide the municipality with future development opportunities in the waterfront area,” she said.

As for the South Shore Christian School, they are happy to be able to expand.

“We are very excited to relocate to a larger facility that will allow us to accommodate our growing enrolment,” said Treasurer and Board Member Sharon Arthurs-Pepper. “We look forward to a larger facility where we can increase capacity and create modern learning environments for our students, giving them the best opportunity to succeed.”

The investment by South Shore will allow about 135 students to move from their current location inside South Point Community Church on the Bevel Line to the new location, just in time for school year start-up. The new location can accommodate up to 285 students.

South Shore Christian School is a non-denominational faith-based, child-centered and family-focused school that serves students from JK to Grade 8.

The purchase price is currently not disclosed but will be publicized once the deal closes at the end of this month.