As the current academic year draws to a close, Bowman Middle School is preparing for a significant transformation. With the upcoming merger of Bowman and Harris Middle Schools, the existing Bowman Middle School building will not be shuttered but instead repurposed into a multi-use community and county facility.
During a recent Mitchell County Board of Commissioners meeting, a resolution was passed to convert the soon-to-be-vacant school into a central hub for county services and community activities. The plan includes relocating the Mitchell County agricultural extension center, board of elections, and potentially other county departments to the Bowman site, enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of important services.
The repurposed building will also feature a range of amenities aimed at fostering social engagement and cultural activities, many of which already exist within the school. These include a 300-seat auditorium, a gymnasium, a commercial kitchen, a potential childcare facility, and space for a community farmer’s market. There’s also a proposal to utilize the existing football field for multiple purposes, including livestock activities, raised bed gardening, and recreational league sports, focusing on promoting community wellness.
The commissioners expressed support for the conversion, authorizing county staff to facilitate the transition. This includes negotiations with relevant stakeholders, coordination of funding sources, and partnerships with community and government organizations.
“This is one of the first steps to showing our purpose as we move towards grabbing some grant funds, as they see the commission support is there,” said Mitchell County Manager Allen Cook.
As part of the transition, no additional expense to the county is anticipated for taking over the Bowman facility due to a property transaction between the school property and Bowman. The commissioners will continue to explore the best uses for the various spaces within the school, ensuring that the facility remains a vibrant part of the community.
“We’re preserving Bowman, we’re keeping Bowman active in the community. Bowman’s not being mothballed, it’s going to be used for our community,” Cook said. “There are a lot of opportunities for grant funding. It meets a lot of our mission of how we help our citizens, so I’m excited about that, as you can tell.”