WHAT was once a place of reading, writing and arithmetic could soon be a place for lights camera and action.
North Shore Studios has been named the preferred candidate to take over the shuttered Keith Lynn secondary school assessed at $7.25 million.
The company hasn't decided how it will use the property, but it is looking to add workspace that complements the nearby studios. That could be more sound stages, animation, visual effects, post-production, or video game production.
"Anytime we can find property that's close by North Shore Studios in terms of expanding our business, we look at that as a great opportunity and it doesn't come up very often," said Peter Leitch, studio president.
"Even more so, we're excited about having a clean slate to decide what type of industry in the creative sector can we accommodate there."
The North Vancouver school district is in the process of selling or leasing a number former schools that were closed as student populations fell.
The financials of the arrangement haven't been hammered out yet but there is a chance the district may keep the land.
"The proposal for the North Shore Studios is to actually purchase the Keith Lynn site but the terms and conditions of the agreement could be a sale or lease and that still remains to be determined," said Franci Stratton, North Van school board charwoman.
No matter how North Shore Studios plans to use the land, it will have to through a typical official community plan amendment and rezoning process with the District of North Vancouver.
Stratton said she expects the deal to be finalized and lease or sale specifics made public within the next couple months.
