After years of debate and several deferred decisions, Thames Valley District School Board trustees voted in favour of a plan that could save Lorne Avenue Public School on Tuesday night.
As the Old East Village undergoes a revitalization, the community's school has been under threat of closure due to low enrollment.
But under the new plan from trustees Peter Jaffe and Matt Reed, passed by a vote of eight to four, the board would sell or lease half the building to a suitable community partner.
It could be someone like the City of London or perhaps an international school.
With the proceeds they would renovate the school and make it suitable for about 300 students. Right now it houses about 270 students, less than half its current capacity.
Those lobbying to keep the school open couldn't be happier.
Scott Maclean of the organization Save Lorne Ave says "It was a huge weight lifted. We've been fighting so hard just to get to this stage and I mean the alternative was just to have this school closed...so this is a huge opportunity for the neighbourhood, for the community and for London in general."
Still the fight isn't over.
Jaffe says "I think this is a step along the process. I feel badly that the community and the parents have been involved in this, clearly this has pitted one community against the other. It's been a very difficult process."
If the plan to keep Lorne Avenue open goes ahead, plans to expand Bishop Townshend Public School to accomodate additional students will likely not happen.
A deal must be reached by the end of April 2014 to sell or lease part of the school or the board will revert to its original decision to close the school by June 2015.
