Recently I had an email from a former student who attended West Hope School right up until it closed in 1960. She had seen my posting about West Hope School and she let me know that the school is at a critical junction in its history and was likely going to be put up for sale for development into an acreage. We all know that “development” and “historical preservation” are often mutually exclusive terms.
She ended her email with this statement: “At the heart of this is whether subsequent generations have the interest and committment [sic] to safeguard it’s future. Sadly this seems doubtful…”
Always one for a healthy internet debate, I would love to prove her wrong, but I know I can’t. It’s not just the subsequent generations, it is the current people in power and the people with money who don’t have the interest and drive to preserve history. Too many are content to let it slip away and focus on the prospect of some quick money.
There has been discussion on some local Facebook groups talking about the property being for sale. Sadly, it appears the end is near for West Hope and another one of Alberta’s historic one-room school houses is destined for the scrap heap.
On my original post from 2017, I posted a few pictures of the school I took back in 2007. At that time the school was open and accessible, whereas now it is posted as No Trespassing. So, for those who will likely never get to see it in person, especially the inside, here are all of my photos from November 17, 2007.
(Don’t judge me for the quality, I’m posting them all regardless of how poorly composed they are! That said, my old Canon S3IS was a great little point-n-shoot camera back in the day.)
DanOCan 
O, how wish I could buy it and restore it.
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Me too. This gem deserves a better fate. It needs to be open and accessible to the public, not demolished. Yes, it has been 15 years since I saw the inside, but it was in great shape.
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Unless someone has a spare $165,000 and it interested in a historical building, this property is too small to keep both the school and to build something nearby. I visited it last week (May 6, 2021) and it appears in the same general state it’s been in for years. The Remax sign was on the fence; however, it appears the property may already be sold as it’s no longer posted(?) -Marshall
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The school and the 1.3 acre site is for sale again as of June 2023; asking price is now $250 000. The previous purchaser has put on a new roof but the interior photos look just the same as your pictures from 2007.
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I’m surprised to see it came back on the market so soon. I was wondering if it was new owners now selling or if it failed to sell the first time and was taken off the market for a while and then put back up for sale. If money was no object, I would build a small house on the property and open the school as a museum / gift shop. I’m sad it isn’t open anymore like when I visited in 2007 but that has probably helped keep it preserved. I guess property values have gone up a lot since 2021 — $250,000 from $165,000 in two years. New roof aside, someone is hoping to make some good coin off that little school.
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I have fallen in love with the property and have an idea as to how to maintain the historic school house as well… if it ever gets to come to fruition I’ll be back to let you know 😍
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Sounds great. We drove by it a couple weeks ago and I commented on how I’d love to be able to buy it and ensure the school remains in place for many years. Good luck!
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