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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Several hundred people in the Cheyenne Mountain Community are saying goodbye to a well-loved staple in the area.

District 12's school board decided to close Canon Elementary at the end of May because of declining enrollment numbers.

Superintendent Walt Cooper said Canon is the smallest elementary school in the district. He also said it is centrally located, making it easier to relocate the children.

Sunday, the community got together to celebrate the school's life.

"The thing that made Canon so special is it had history," said former principal Aljean Tucker.

Going on 55 years of it to be exact. Canon opened in 1954 becoming the first elementary school in Cheyenne Mountain.

"It's always sad when an era comes to an end," said Cooper.

Rather than mourn the loss, hundreds decided to celebrate their memories.

"I saw my old second grade sweetheart Julie Reeds here today," said former student and El Paso County Commissioner Jim Bensberg.

"You look around here today and see the hundreds of people who are here. Many of whom have children no longer go here, but they remember the good times at Canon," Tucker said.

Good times first shaped by District 12's first superintendent, Lloyd Shaw, a man known for his unconventional thinking about education.

"The other thing that's really important was the foundation of how important the arts were. I think his vision has formed this school," Tucker said.

"Hopefully this building will be used again as a grade school sometimes in the near future," Bensberg said.

"Spirit is here," Tucker said.

Cooper said that spirit isn't going anywhere.

"This has been a special place because it's been filed with special people, special families, and special kids," Cooper said.

Special people who bared the rain for one last school photo.

The good news is the school won't be torn down or shut down completely.

Next fall, it will house District 12's preschool program and special education offices.