All that's left of the old Humboldt Public School is a pile of rubble and memories. Soon, even the debris will be gone.
"The process for decision-making around the Humboldt Public School really started a few years ago when planning for new schools was being worked on," said Mayor Malcolm Eaton. "It was decided that the old HPS had the greatest need."
The building had stood strong for more than a century and had weathered the test of time and rambunctious students. At least, that's how it appeared on the outside. Despite some renovations and cosmetic fixes, the stairs still creaked, the pipes still clanged, and the air conditioning/heating system left a lot to be desired.
"It was instructionally very strong, but the fixtures and equipment was old," said Brian Grest, a former student at HPS. "It was old and creaky even 30 or 40 years ago."
After being moved to the top of the list of needy schools, it was only a matter of time before the old structure was no more. It was decided that it would cost less to build a new school rather than trying to completely fix up the old one.
"We weren't surprised at that decision," said Eaton. "It was in bad shape. (When you consider) the financial implications of renovating the old building versus building a new and modern facility for kids, the new facility won out."
According to Eaton, it comes down to money, groups, and organization. Citizens must get together and express interest in a project and then raise money. The City will do all it can to help, but it's up to the community to do the legwork.
"It's easy to say it, but someone has to start having the meetings, barbeques, making pancakes and then get their cheques out," said Eaton. "The City can't do it on the tax base. The community has to come forward."
Upon hearing the school was being demolished, Carol Oleksyn and Joan Stock got together and fundraised approximately $4,500 through donations and hamburger sales. They set up a Facebook page and are putting together a mural in the new school that will be a compilation of photos from the old HPS.
"We didn't realize how many people it impacted until we started the reunion," said Oleksyn. "We're also trying to get a hold of the date stones that were a part of the old building."
It would have been too costly to extract the stones before demolition. However, those in charge of pulling down the building did their best to do it in such a way that the stones would be salvageable.
"Doing this is how we channel our anger and frustration," said Stock. "We just felt that it needed some recognition."
For Grest, it's not so much anger as it is resignation.
"I was saddened. A lot of memories were built into that building for people, including myself," he said. "The school division didn't have a choice. It would have taken some very deep pockets."
For example, the building was almost entirely inaccessible for handicapped students, even those on crutches. There were no ramps and the electrical, wiring, plumbing, and heating would have had to have been fixed as well.
"The gym in the basement was a hard and dirty floor. We tried to play basketball in a room with a 10-foot ceiling," said Grest. "The school had always seemed dingy to me."
Nevertheless, Grest said he finds it amazing that some things hadn't changed since he was a student there.
"My daughter went to class in that building until they got moved," said Grest. "It still had the same wooden hand rails, the same linoleum, and the same ugly carpet and ugly curtains."
Despite the loss of the old HPS, there are some great benefits with the new school building. For one, there will be another daycare built in that will accommodate approximately 40 individuals, which will double the daycare capacity in the community.
"The whole facility will be open a year from now," said Eaton. "It's bigger and will hold all students from (Kindergarten to Grade Eight)."
Like most things in life, the old must make way for the new. At least the old building's legacy will never be forgotten.
"We may not have been able to save the building, but that doesn't mean you can't save the history, heritage, pictures, stories, and memories," said Eaton.
