After many months of speculation, rumours and back-and-forth discussion in the community, it seems the SASCU Downtown Activity Centre in Salmon Arm will be under new ownership in the new year.
While the school district is unable to release information before the sale is finalized, an email from communications director Alice Hucul confirms that an agreement has been made to sell the property, with a closing date for the sale set for Jan. 31, 2019.
Related: Plans to sell Downtown Activity Centre on agenda
Official trustee Mike McKay said in the spring of 2018 that the DAC was “no longer justifiable for the school district to continue using operating funds to keep the building operating.”
Much of the space within the building was leased to community groups including the after school Kids Club and the Voice of the Shuswap radio station.
The Salmon Arm Storefront School has been operating out of the DAC, though the school district has noted it would be moving to the District Education Support Centre.
There was some hope the city would purchase the property in late 2017, but the former council declined the purchase.
The school district extended the June 30 lease expiration date to Dec. 31 to allow community groups more time to attempt to raise funds to purchase the building.
Related: Most Downtown Activity Centre tenants have found new homes
When asked for further extensions, McKay said the groups had already been notified five years ago that the lease would not be renewed.
Talks continued over the summer, and some community groups attempted to put offers together with little success.
In November a realtor asked tenants if they’d be interested in staying, but most had already found new locations.
The school district did confirm as of Nov. 14 there was a potential buyer at the time, and there have been several offers for the building.