After a year of its halls being left dark and quiet, John Chisholm Alternate School now has new tenants.

Two years ago, Prairie South School Division closed John Chisholm and ceased all educational programs. Recently however, new occupants have started using the building and its facilities. Both the Regina YMCA and an early childhood and family centre are using different parts of the building for their operations.

Tony Baldwin, director of education with Prairie South is glad the facilities are still being used to help kids.

"It's exciting because we did some great work at John Chisholm in the time that we were supporting kids there. And now we're back to a place where we're supporting kids and families again just in a different way."

With the new joint-use school being planned for South Hill, it is expected that these services will move there once it is opened.

"That's something I hope that we'll be able to see in the new school when we build it. But of course we're about two or three years away from actually having that space, so those folks are at John Chisholm right now." 

It's another example of the city's existing infrastructure still being put to good use for a good cause.