The Near North Board says Widdifield Secondary School continues to remain idle as they work towards finding a role for the school which closed its doors in 2020.
In May 2021, the Near North Board submitted a business case to the 2021-22 Capital Priorities Program to repurpose the Widdifield building.
The proposal requested funding to retrofit the building to welcome students from Alliance French Immersion School and Laurentian Learning Centre Program, as well as to use parts of the building for administrative operations and the maintenance shop.
See related: Widdifield preparing for its last graduation
Brett Hanson, communications coordinator with the Near North School Board, says it is a work in progress.
"The Near North District School Board submitted a capital priorities application regarding Widdifield Secondary School to the Ministry of Education," explained Hanson in an email to BayToday.
Rumours have been swirling inside Near North schools that the Near North School Board would potentially be moving its office down Airport Hill and into the walls of Widdifield. One source says the board is already utilizing office space at the closed high school.
"The report and details regarding the work of the North Bay Consolidation Committee on the board’s website can be found here. There is no further news in regard to the future use of Widdifield Secondary at this time."
A North Bay Consolidation Committee within the School Board is overseeing this project.
