The $1.98-million sale of SD73 parkland to the City will take some of the pressure off the district’s lean 2025-2026 budget.

The one-acre property at the intersection of Parkcrest Avenue and Schreiner Street, long known to residents as Parkcrest Park, was purchased from the Kamloops-Thompson School District in late November, with the cost covered through the City’s Parkland Reserve.

Harold Cull, the district’s interim secretary treasurer, said monies from the sale go into the district’s capital budget and can be used for one-time purchase such as vehicles, equipment or Internet technologies.

“It’s not going to be able to help on the operating side, which is where some of the challenges in the previous years have been,” said Cull. “But this will help those one-time capital purchases that we’ll be able to use it for… There is a financial benefit.” 

Though never formally designated as a City park, Parkcrest Park has been treated like one for years. City crews have handled lawn care, field upkeep, and bookings for organized sports. Art McDonald, SD73’s director of facilities, said the transition comes with no new operational impacts.

In a press release, Sherrie Holmes, the City’s sport, recreation and wellness manager, said the goal was to preserve the neighbourhood parkland, as it provides lasting benefits for both the Brocklehurst community and the environment.

“The City will continue to maintain and use this property as a park, providing a space for recreation and for neighbourhood residents,” she wrote.

Cull said this was a primary concern for Kamloops-Thompson school trustees and administrators as well.

“If the land was there and we weren’t going to use but we could turn it into some capital resources but still keep it within the community’s use, it felt like a win-win,” he said.

The school district is equally pleased to see the land remain in public hands. Board chair Heather Grieve said Parkcrest Park was no longer needed for educational use — the site is too small to support a modern school — but it continues to offer clear value to the community.

SD73 initiated the disposal process following several weeks of community consultation in November 2024, eventually receiving the required approval from the Ministry of Education and Child Care.

McDonald said Parkcrest Park was originally the playground for Brocklehurst elementary, a kindergarten to Grade 4 school which burned down in the 1980s. The site became a community centre and is now a series of duplexes. The field remained a greenspace and is well used by nearby residents.

Holmes said the acquisition reflects ongoing collaboration between the City and SD73.

“Together, the City and School District remain committed to working together to develop spaces that serve the educational needs of local families and strengthen our community.”