It is often said that team work divides the task and multiplies the success. It is with this intent that the Brainerd School Board felt strongly about engaging in a community-driven process to determine the best possible future use of the former Whittier Elementary School building. We have assembled a task force of gracious volunteers to represent the diverse interests of our community.
During our first meeting, we reviewed the history of our district’s facilities. Similar to statewide trends, Brainerd Public Schools’ enrollment decline has allowed us to effectively serve our students while maximizing the efficient use of our six elementary schools. In light of this, we do not anticipate a need for Whittier to serve as a traditional elementary school in the foreseeable future.
We know that there are many in our community that still have a strong and sincere historical connection to the building and the challenges we face as we envision Whittier as something other than our neighborhood school. However, for this group to achieve success we need to view Whittier as a community asset. The question is: Now that we have the opportunity to determine its future, how can it be used to significantly benefit our community?
Though the building is beautiful and in good condition, task force members took time during the first meeting to acknowledge its limitations. Many of the challenges are a result of its 70-year-old age. For example, among several issues related to accessibility by people with disabilities is the fact that steps are the only way to access all three levels of the building. In addition, the lighting and electrical systems have limitations while the current hot water radiator heat means upgrading the building’s air circulation and climate control can be challenging, for a purpose that may include year-round use. Yet there remain many possibilities for a 27,000 square foot building, located on an entire city block with technology connectivity that has the capacity to reach far into the future.
We also recognize that we have an advantage as we move ahead with this process, having historically been down a similar path with the re-use of the current Artspace facility. It will be very beneficial for this group to take all that has been learned with this community project and put it to good use with our current task at hand.
Determining how our community will best leverage Whittier is the important charge of these volunteer task force members. While it may seem simple, it won’t be easy. We invite you to provide us with your constructive thoughts, ideas, and suggestions as we look to find solutions that hold the promise of wide-ranging benefits for our whole community.
KENT MONTGOMERY, is a member of the Brainerd School Board.
