A glimmer of hope has appeared in the effort to keep the Dunster Fine Arts School open.

The Regional District of Fraser – Fort George has expressed interest in taking over the school as a community building.

Prince George School Board District #57 chairman Lynn Hall said he wants to see the Regional District of Fraser – Fort George take control of the actual school, while the school board would provide teachers and educational materials.

“I think it’s a perfect fit,” Hall said.

Under the agreement, the regional district would purchase the building, paying for repairs and the upkeep of the facility. The school board would still run programming out of the building, supplying teachers and a part-time principal. The Wells school in British Columbia operates under a similar agreement, so the move is not unprecedented.

The school board wants to look at innovative ways to keep the school open, Hall said, and ‘look outside the box’ to find an acceptable solution. A shared agreement is an example of that.

“We’re prepared to step up to the plate,” Hall said.

Talks are still at the preliminary stage, as the school board is still moving ahead with its plan to close the school for next year.

The decision to close the Dunster Fine Arts School was based on a number of factors, Hall said.

“The age and condition of the facility was a factor. We looked at the cost to run it. There are two sides to the enrolment number story, but the students could be well served in McBride or Valemount,” Hall said.

In order for the sharing plan to go ahead, the regional district needs public support. That can come in the form of a petition, or the district can hold a referendum on the subject. It is still uncertain if the referendum would be district-wide or based only in Dunster.

Kevin Dunphy, chairman of the select committee for regional schools for the regional district, said the local government is interested in helping the school remain open.

“We’re looking at options to keep it open. That would mean turning it into a community facility and making it available for other members,” Dunphy said. “The community feels it’s a major benefit to keep it open.”

A combination of fundraising dollars and taxes would be required to run the school which requires several repairs and upgrades. The regional district doesn’t yet know exactly how much money will be required to upgrade the building.

The decision could also affect the Dunster community centre. Dunphy said that would have to be part of the decision, as the regional district will have to weigh all of its options.

“We’ll have an opportunity to make some choices,” Dunphy said.

The Dunster Fine Arts school isn’t the only facility the regional district is looking at. Several schools in the Prince George area have also been identified as potential for the move.