Council vs. community

Who will decide the future of Wellington’s prime corner?

Some members of council worry the community will shape the future of the buildings on the northwest corner of Wellington key intersection at Main and Wharf Streets. Led by Wellington councillor Jim Dunlop they have moved to intervene in the previously established process to determine what will become of the buildings—a former convenience store and pizza shop—and the property on which they sit.

It was more than a year ago the County’s Community Development department convened a public meeting in Wellington to discuss and debate the future of this property. A year earlier Shire Hall had purchased the two properties to facilitate the rehabilitation of Lane Creek, part of a larger project to clean up and restore this waterway.

This is where perceptions diverge. Some on council believed they had spent $640,000 to smash the buildings and fix the creek. This, they argued, was a safer than the alternative—rerouting the creek under Wharf Street through the intersection with Main Street.

But others argued that these buildings—particularly the former convenience store—served a critical heritage and commercial role at this important intersection. There was a loud public outcry against the notion that the buildings should be flattened to make way for parking or a parkette. Besides if the building was destroyed and nothing rebuilt—how would the municipality recover its investment? The money they paid would be lost.

While council was eager to spend tax dollars to buy the buildings and smash them, not many were interested in investing in this property in order to recoup its expense.

But this community had other ideas. Many expressed the desire to see the convenience store building restored and repurposed for modern retail and residential use. They pointed to its defining characteristics—the height, dimensions, architectural detail—as representative of the Wellington heritage and part of the village’s attraction. Many recoiled at Shire Hall’s plan to pave over this corner lot. They felt council was out of touch with needs of this changing community. After the public consultation session a year ago January, designers, heritage architects and engineers were to go back and develop a series of feasible options. These plans were to be presented to the public within a few months and then presented to council. This community was assured that it would get see the alternatives first.

That is off the table.

As time has passed, those council members itching to smash the building and move on, have become increasingly agitated. They wanted an update. Last week they received a short report that explained that the plans were nearly finished, that they had been sent back for staff revisions, and council would see it mid-March.

The most agitated councillors weren’t really interested in the report, but rather the opportunity to take back control of this project—a project they feel has been hijacked by the community.

Ameliasburgh councillor Roy Pennell led the assault.

“Before it goes to the public, the options need to come back to this council,” insisted Pennell.

Athol’s Jamie Forrester suggested community input was just adding cost to an infrastructure project.

“We have to make a decision just to do it,” said Forrester. “We are still talking about it. How much will this cost?”  Forrester then threw a series of into numbers the air, revealing that if he had ever understood the issues and costs around this project, they had escaped him at that moment.

Dunlop’s interest was to ensure council members understood the feasible options before they were presented at a public meeting.

The councillor’s intention aside—his action means that the next fight to preserve this corner will take place at Shire Hall rather than in the community. For council, will have the opportunity to spike any option it doesn’t like—without regard for the village or its heritage.