Multiple residents of The Blue Mountains have expressed concerns about the town possibly selling a high profile property in Thornbury.
On June 25, the Blue Mountains council held a public meeting about the possibility of declaring 171 King Street property surplus for the purpose of selling the land through a request for proposal process.
The property was once the home of the local Foodland grocery store and was the planned site of the town’s ill-fated Gateway attainable housing project. It is located on Highway 26 just outside of Thornbury.
The public meeting was sparsely attended, but council heard multiple concerns about selling the lands. Both the Blue Mountains Attainable Housing Corporation and the Blue Mountain Ratepayers Association wrote letters to council urging caution on the possible sale of the land.
The ratepayers association said it is “premature” to sell the land and suggested the town consider holding on to the land for a potential land lease arrangement in the future for affordable/attainable housing.
The association also suggested the town rezone the property to allow for a four storey building, with residential units on the ground floor, to have it ready for possible future development.
The attainable housing corporation urged the town to keep ownership of the land to give the town a chance to explore land trust or land lease arrangements for future use of the land. The corporation also suggested the town approach Grey County about possibly using the property for a housing project.
In a letter to council, TBM resident Pamela Spence implored council to keep the land.
“Do not make a hasty decision,” she said in her letter, which was read by deputy clerk Kyra Dunlop.
Local resident Elaine Beard spoke at the meeting and asked council to keep the land and keep trying to build affordable housing in the community.
“This land is precious,” said Beard. “Do we want to visualize a billboard every time we drive by that says: we gave up? If we’re a town that cares, let’s show it.”
Former councillor Joe Halos also spoke at the meeting and was the lone voice in favour of pursuing a sale of the property. Halos said he “heartily” endorsed declaring the property surplus and the town divesting the property.
“We spent a lot of money on this site. We spent a lot on consultants,” said Halos. “I think this is an expensive mis-adventure at this point.”
Halos suggested the town sell the property and concentrate on making the Campus of Care project on Peel Street, which includes a housing component, a reality.
The town purchased 171 King Street in 2019 for $1.6 million and eventually put together a plan to transfer ownership of the property to the attainable housing corporation for the Gateway project. However, that concept fell apart when no acceptable bids for the project were received.
Council did not make a decision about the issue at the meeting. A staff report with recommendations will come to council in September for consideration.
