The Town of Castle Rock’s purchase of Cantril School is moving forward following Council’s Nov. 15 meeting.
Here is a closer look:
- Cantril School building – The Cantril School, located at 312 Cantril St., opened as Castle Rock Elementary School in 1897 and continues to serve Douglas County School District.
The property was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1984 but does not hold any local historic designations. The building is over 14,000 square feet and sits on 2 acres located just east of Downtown Castle Rock in the historic Craig and Gould area.
The District has recently declared the property as “surplus,” allowing the sale of the school on the open market. Given its historic significance, the Town believes it’s important to preserve the structure and to ensure the Cantril site remains a public facility.
Town Council Tuesday approved a contract to purchase the building for $3,525,000 and funded an additional $500,000 for initial facility needs. The contract was also approved by the DCSD Board of Education on Nov. 15. The Town now enters into a 60-day due diligence period before the purchase can be finalized.
Council’s ongoing conservative fiscal management approach allows the Town to respond to unique opportunities, like the potential purchase of this historic property, when they arise.
Initial thoughts are to use the Cantril building for increased cultural arts programming, small events and other community activities through the Town’s Parks and Recreation Department. Any needed renovations would occur over a several-year period.
The public is invited to attend an open house to share ideas on the uses of Cantril School from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30, in the school’s auditorium. To provide feedback online, visit CRgov.com/CantrilSchool.
Also on the agenda, Town Council gave a proclamation supporting Small Business Saturday, which is Nov. 26, in recognition of the contributions small businesses make to our local economy and community.
Coming up
The next regular Town Council meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 6. Visit CRgov.com/CouncilComments between Dec. 1 and 6 to provide written feedback, or to sign up to speak via videoconference during the meeting. The meeting will be available live at CRgov.com/CouncilMeeting. In-person attendance will also be available.
Questions? Email all Councilmembers at TownCouncil@CRgov.com, or find your Council representative at CRgov.com/Council; sign up for email updates by clicking “Get Email Updates.” Updates include summaries of top Council items, as well as previews of Council meetings.
View Town Council agendas at CRgov.com/Agendas. Watch Council live at CRgov.com/WatchCouncil, or catch a recording there after the meeting. Town Council meetings are also broadcast live and replayed on Comcast Channel 22.