DEL NORTE— The Del Norte School Board has sent out a letter of request to any interested parties wishing to help the district repurpose three of the five buildings that will no longer be used if a new school is built for the district. Superintendent Chris Burr is asking any local organizations that may be interested to contact the school board to begin conversations on how the buildings could be reused for future purposes, rather than see them torn down or left empty.
In the original letter, it states, “The Del Norte Consolidated School District Board of Education is seeking letters of interest from any government or community agency, business entity or individual regarding the repurposing of the current District owned educational, maintenance and transportation facilities.
The district has been awarded 27 million dollars toward the construction of a new school facility. A successful bond election is necessary to raise the additional funds required to complete the project. Upon passing of the bond issue, construction of the new facility will begin immediately.
It is the desire of the Board of Education to repurpose as many of the current facilities as possible. Buildings will be available, and requests for purchase or donation will be considered. Interested organizations should respond to this request by letter at [770 11th St., Del Norte] or by email to [email protected].
The Del Norte School District Board of Education is excited about the opportunity to help enhance the community of Del Norte and South Fork, by providing a new, safe educational facility, and by repurposing the current buildings in a way that will benefit the taxpayers and community.”
According to a press release submitted by the Colorado Department of Education, a total of $295.6 million in school grant projects was awarded which will include the Del Norte School District. This is the second time the school has applied for the grant, the first of which was unsuccessful. Superintendent Chris Burr stated that the district was awarded just over $27 million to help with costs associated with the estimated $45 million project. The next step for the district will be to get the bond passed for the remaining $18 million. Burr stressed that the issue with most of the residents that will be affected by the bond, is the length of time the tax will be increased in the town.
As the time for the bond issue to be placed on the ballot draws near, Burr and the school board are continuously working to find ways to make the transition into the next phase as easy for the community as possible. Meetings to discuss the future of the schools and the buildings will be scheduled in the near future with dates, times and locations published as soon as they are available.