Wall Lake city officials are looking to get the community more involved in the planning process for what will become of the former East Sac County Elementary School. The building has gong essentially unused since May 2020 after the school board approved a plan to transition the district from four attendance centers to two. Clerk, Chris Rodman, says they are nearing the end of negotiations with the district to transfer ownership of the property to the city.
Once the oldest parts of the building are demolished and asbestos remediation is finished, Rodman estimates they will have over 4,000 square feet of usable space plus the gymnasium remaining. Many ideas have already been suggested for its future use, such as moving the fitness center from its current location in the Community Building. Rodman says another idea is to convert the remaining area into a gathering space for Wall Lake’s younger residents.
According to Rodman, almost anything is better than letting the property go unutilized. Nothing is set in stone yet, and he says the only real limitation on proposals is cost. City officials are encouraging residents to bring their ideas to the table at a public meeting planned for early May.
A date and time for that meeting has not been released, but Rodman is hoping to have as many people attend to ensure they move forward with an idea the majority of residents support. Carroll Broadcasting will bring you more information on the meeting once details are released.
