For years parents and the community fought to save Lorne Ave Public School.
But in the end, the Thames Valley District School Board made its final decision this past year to shut it down.
A blow that many are still upset about.
"I'm still very saddened by the decision by the board to close the school," says Lorne Ave parent Scott MacLean.
"My kids have been here since kindergarten. So it's sad for us. But it's more sad for them. The kids are really starting to feel it as it gets closer to June, the end of the year," says parent Joanne Bishop.
Both Bishop and MacLean say what makes it worst is the school was set to close this June.
But because renovations have been delayed at neighbouring schools that were to take the Lorne Ave kids, some grades will remain at Lorne Ave for an unknown amount of time.
"The emotions have been high for us as it is. So now this stand still. The not knowing, 'Well we might do this, we might do that,' it's rough," adds Bishop.
In the meantime to try to shed some happiness on the situation, plans have been made to hold an end of an era bash to celebrate the school for all it was.
"We want to throw a great big party for the kids, current kids plus past students. We would like past students and staff to come back and join us for the party as well," says Bishop.
Despite the official closing date for the school being up in the air, the group plans to go ahead with the party this June because it's closure that both the community and students need.
"The community and the city in general have worked really hard to try to keep the school open. And while we didn't succeed with that, I think it's something that's really important to celebrate the long rich history of the school here at the site," says MacLean.
A GoFund Me page has been set up with a goal of $10,000.
Currently only $60 0has been raised.
The money will go towards the party and also to help purchase souveiners like t-shirts and pins that staff and students can keep as a memory of the school.
"It's a really good school. They care, the teachers they really care. We're going to miss it. We're really going to miss it when the kids have to get on buses to go over the bridge. It's really going to be sad," says Bishop.
