The College Community School District is breathing new life into a piece of local history. Two aging barns located on the College Community campus, are being repurposed. The structures, located north of Prairie Crest and west of Prairie Heights Elementary Schools, were slated for demolition to make way for the new Prairie Summit Pool and Recreation Center in partnership with the YMCA of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Area.

Rather than discarding the historic barns, College Community Schools partnered with Wilson’s Orchard and Farm to salvage the valuable old-growth timber. With no cost to the district, Wilson’s Orchard dismantled the barns and will repurpose the wood for various projects, including the construction of a new barn.

“The quality of the timber is exceptional,” said Paul Rasch, owner of Wilson’s Orchard and Farm. “Preserving these barns through reuse is important and I am thrilled to be part of this project with College Community Schools.”

Superintendent Doug Wheeler shared the district’s enthusiasm. “We’re excited to give these historic barns new life,” he said. “Partnering with an organization dedicated to preservation was essential.”