Hastings Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB) last week approved the agreement of purchase and sale of the former Queen Elizabeth School in Picton to the County of Prince Edward.
“We have long believed in the potential of this site to help meet some our community’s most pressing needs, including affordable and attainable housing and improved access to a variety of social services,” Mayor Steve Ferguson says. “With the sale approved this week, we are excited to start thinking about what the future might look like for this site. I want to thank HPEDSB and the Algonquin and Lakeshore District Catholic School Board for working with us throughout this process, as well as MPP Todd Smith for his support.”
The County will invite applications from community members and organizations interested in locating on the site. The municipality will issue the Expression of Interest on July 11 with a submission deadline of August 21, 2023. Review of the applications and occupancy decisions will be made by November 24, 2023.
County Council has created a Tenant Selection Committee to make recommendations on the tenant mix of the development and the potential sale of land related to the development. The committee includes Mayor Ferguson and Councillors Sam Branderhorst, Corey Engelsdorfer, Kate MacNaughton, and Janice Maynard. Recruitment for community agency representatives, residents, and County staff to also serve on the committee will take place when Council approves the terms of reference of the committee.
With HPEDSH approving the sale of the nearly five-acre property at 35 Barker Street in Picton, the County is now completing the necessary work to waive the conditions of the Purchase and Sale Agreement. The County has until March 9, 2024, to satisfy the required due diligence (environmental assessments, building condition assessment, etc.) and secure the funding for the purchase. The municipality is seeking funds from the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CMHC) through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) and the Co-Investment Fund (COI).
If you have questions or require further information, contact Charles Dowdall, Director of Housing, County of Prince Edward, at 613.219.3104 or email cdowdall@pecounty.on.ca.