Prince Edward County Council is willing to see if there is any interest from outside parties to purchase the Wellington Town Hall.
On Thursday, Committee of the Whole passed a motion to establish an Expression of Interest Working Group to determine if there is interest in the building located on the village’s Main Street.
The municipality stopped renting the facility for community uses a few years ago and has been using it for temporary office space since.
It has also been flagged as one of the County’s most expensive buildings to maintain.
Staff are recommending the building be sold rather than kept for municipal purposes, or leased to community groups, given the cost the municipality would be responsible for to maintain and upgrade it.
Prior to the issue coming before committee, councillors heard from three community members who all asked for the municipality to keep the town hall noting that the community has a strong desire to regain the use of the building.
County CAO Marcia Wallace says an Expression of Interest process means it’s not just about the highest bidder but keeping the building’s essence.
“And this was the process used when we did the Wellington Convenience Store. Where it was an Expression of Interest Working Group that worked together and consulted with the community around what was the best hope for that space and then putting out a real estate ask that is tailored to find the right kind of buyer.”
Sprigwich Sandwich shop now operates out of the former convenience store location.
Most on council seemed to agree that the building’s time had come and the cost to maintain it is too great.
Wellington Ward Councillor Coery Engelsdorfer says it was a struggle to rent the building in the past and that the greater good may be in finding a private sector owner with a passion for a heritage building to restore it to the jewel it once was.
“I see this building as a historic asset, not necessarily as a functional public use asset. In my mind it might be at the end of its life cycle as town hall. So it’s clear the building needs investment and my fear is that if we hold onto it, then it’s just gonna continue to crumble.”
Engelsdorfer noted that over 52 weekends when the town hall was available for community use, it was empty for 45 of them.
Councillor Kate MacNaughton was not in favour of the motion saying she would have rather seen public consultation on what the municipality should do with the building first before skipping ahead to a working group focused on selling the town hall.
She says the building still has appeal to the community noting that other rental spaces in the area don’t always compare.
“You could not have the pancake breakfast every fall at the Picton Library. So, you know, each of those alternate locations, each of those alternate spaces, lacks the qualities that that central, well-located, very beautiful building has.”
Councillor Janice Maynard also had worries about the working group fearing that the same process could follow for other municipal assets and she questioned where does it end?
The motion passed 9-2 on a recorded vote.
The working group would consist of two members of council and some staff and would include some public consultation.
Thursday’s Committee of the Whole decision still needs final council approval with a vote scheduled for the March 12 meeting.
