Ktunaxa Nation Council Purchases Cranbrook Central School

So begins another chapter in the life of Central School.  This grand old building has been sold to the Ktunaxa Nation Council and the community can look forward to seeing it come alive once more.  This building is well known to many long time Cranbrook residents – those who went to school there and those who worked there as part of Crestbrook and Tembec.  Now, only a small number of Canfor employees remain in their rented basement space until the Ktunaxa Nation take possession at the beginning of October.

Cranbrook Central School was in operation as a school from 1909 until 1983, when it was in dire need of many upgrades and the need for a school as large, in that location, was not required.  Pinewood School had been built as a replacement and most of Cranbrook’s students were not living within walking distance of this school any more.  Crestbrook Forest Industries was in need of a larger building at that time and so the school was literally swapped for their offices in the Industrial Park.  Crestbrook also received a $300,000.00 payment to make up the difference in property value.  Crestbrook Forest Industries spent over a million and a half dollars in 1984 on a renovation project preserving an important heritage feature of the community.  The finished corporate headquarters was opened to the public in May of 1985.  A year later it received a Heritage Society of BC Award but to this day has not received a City of Cranbrook Heritage Designation.

Cranbrook Central School was originally built in 1909 after demand from the public and some hand wringing.  An addition was built in 1922.

From February 4th 1909 Cranbrook Herald

Click to enlarge