A public open house on the proposed move of Amherstburg town hall to a portion of the former General Amherst High School site saw a large number of people come out.
The open house was held in the lobby of the Libro Centre last Saturday morning with interested people coming right when it opened at 10 a.m. and it was steady through until 12 noon. A new town hall, with multi-purpose council chambers that could double as a theatre or concert facility, would be part of the overall development with a residential component and a commercial portion.
It is known as the “heritage town hall opportunity.”
One of the people attending was Tony Pietrangelo, who was enthused with
the proposal.
“This is exactly where it should go,” said Pietrangelo. “I think this is the ideal spot. It’s at the centre of town.”
As for whether it’s a lease, lease-to-own or purchase outright of the section of the school, Pietrangelo said ownership is the way to go.
“I’d like to see the town own it,” he said.
Pietrangelo also had an idea of what to do with the current town hall.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing a swap of the old town hall in exchange for this,” he said.
Frank Cerasa said he wants to see something that helps the Town of Amherstburg. He said he knows people with Valente Developments, who own and are seeking to redevelop the General Amherst High School site, and “they are good people” who should be respected. He was not convinced the offer was best for the town, however.
The town should not lead anyone on and decide soon not to proceed.
“It’s best to be honest,” said Cerasa.
Cerasa believed the current proposal is “not the right option” and that the town should not rent.
“We should stand alone,” he added. “This is a great space. I’m sure (the developers) will find investors for it.”
Cerasa wondered about the perception with other developers should the town be a tenant in a project. The town should also not be in the development business, he said.
“I don’t think it’s good optics,” said Cerasa.
Eleanor Renaud liked much of what she saw, but had some questions surrounding neighbouring parkland.
“I think it’s beautiful,” she said of the Valente proposal. “I like the idea they are keeping the original front façade. I like the glass wall to protect the front façade. I think it’s an ingenious idea.”
Converting Bill Wigle Park into a civic esplanade where events could be held caused Renaud to have some questions. She said she liked they were using the park but wondered about the number of places in the downtown area where youth can play sports. She said there is little in H. Murray Smith Centennial Park at the moment and the same could happen at Wigle Park.
“Everything has gone out to the Libro (Centre),” said Renaud. “It’s a shame these kids don’t have any place to play.”
Parking was a question Renaud had about the redevelopment of the school, stating people at the residential tower and town hall employees need a place to park. Whether to lease or own depends on what the financial figures look like.
“I guess it depends on the numbers,” said Renaud. “Can we afford to do this? Can we afford not to do this?”
Del Oxford said he wanted to get more information but was not in favour of the proposal. He believed Amherstburg should have its own free-standing town hall that would house its employees that would be owned by the municipality.
One thing that did impress Oxford was the number of people that came out for the public open house.
“I’m amazed how many people attended. It happened so quickly,” said Oxford.
Linda Jackson called the Valente proposal “very, very impressive” and wanted town council to jump on it.
“I hope the town will take advantage of this opportunity,” said Jackson.
Jackson was not concerned with parking, believing there would be enough, and thought it would be a great addition to that area of Sandwich St. S. A lease-to-own option for the town hall section sounded like a good idea to Jackson.
“I don’t believe we should buy it,” she said. “The outlay of money would be too much for the town.”
Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb said he was hearing “generally positive” reactions but there were a lot of questions about the financial side of it and how the town would proceed from a dollars-and-cents perspective.
Gibb pointed out the lease, lease-to-own and buy outright options for the town hall section.
The town has to look at not just short-term but for the next 50 years, he added, and what is the most cost efficient option for a town hall. The residential component of the project could be “a game-changer” for the town, he added.
The attendance at the open house was something Gibb was pleasantly surprised by.
“This is the biggest turnout I’ve ever seen at one of these,” he said. “I’m very, very happy to see so many people come out sharing their opinions.”
A report is anticipated to come back before town council Nov. 25.
The town is also gathering public opinion through its Talk the Burg website. The direct link is www.talktheburg.ca/townhall.
Public has their say on heritage town hall proposal
By Ron Giofu
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