Discussions Begin on Future Use for Maplewood School Property in Cary

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A committee will meet for the first time Wednesday with the purpose of discussing the long-vacant Maplewood School property in Cary, the Northwest Herald reports.

The Cary Maplewood School committee is comprised of two village board members and two school board members and the committee is meant to keep both the village board and school board apprised of issues surrounding the property, according to the article. The school district is responsible for selling the property while the village is in charge of deciding what will take the place of the school. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Cary Junior High School, the newspaper reports.

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In recent weeks, community members have been rallying to keep the property “community-oriented,” according to Suburban Life Publications.

An online petition started on the change.org has over 700 supporters. The petition calls for the property to be used as a space for recreational or athletic activities or community gatherings.

The petition reads:

The bidding process will begin soon and likely result in a housing development. This would eliminate the acres of green space, athletic fields, and playground area that Cary, IL residents have grown to rely on for community, play, and congregation.

In November, a developer did approach the school district and was in talks with the village about bringing an apartment complex to the property but talks with that developer have since ceased, according to the Northwest Herald.

The school board and administration is next tasked with setting a price on the property and rebid it, Suburban Life Publications reported.

“We think it’s our obligation to our tax payers to sell the property at its highest value and best use so future revenue can be generated to support students in the district,” Cary Community Consolidated District 26 Superintendent Brian Coleman told Suburban Life Publications.