Input sought on Coultrap School building's future
The Geneva school board plans two forums for the public to say what to do with the vacant Coultrap Elementary School and the administrative headquarters in the former Fourth Street Elementary School.
The forums are at 7 p.m. June 18 at Coultrap, 1113 Peyton St., and 9 a.m. June 23 at Williamsburg Elementary School, 1812 Williamsburg Ave.
A facilities task force has recommended Coultrap be demolished. It was one of four options presented to the school board in May.
Three options involved moving administrative offices out of Fourth Street and into Coultrap.
The school district says it costs $69,000 annually to operate Coultrap, and estimates it needs $1.2 million to $1.6 million in repairs to its exterior walls, plumbing and electrical systems.
A 2006 facilities master plan called for tearing down Coultrap to make room to expand Geneva High School, which is next door. The school board has postponed indefinitely discussion and planning of that expansion.
Those who can't attend the forums are asked to send comments to the board at by email to board@geneva304.org.
Neighbors already have expressed fears that if Coultrap is torn down, the district will pave the site over for a parking lot. But school board members May 29 said they intend to keep the site as green space, possibly a park.
The south portion of Coultrap opened in 1923, as Geneva High School. It was enlarged twice and became a junior high school, then an elementary school. Its students moved to the new Williamsburg Elementary School in 2008.