What should happen to Fire Station 1 once the construction of the new fire hall on McCleary Drive is complete?
As ThoroldToday reported, the city wants to close down Fire Station 1, situated on Towpath Street, because of issues ranging from asbestos to leaking sewage.
At last week’s city council meeting, during a discussion about the new fire hall, councillor John Kenny made a plea for the old building to be turned into an affordable housing project.
“I’m presently on the board of a Thorold non-profit,” councillor Kenny told his fellow councillors. “I know hopefully we’re going to start a building shortly and I think that where that land is be a great place for a seniors complex. It would be appraised at a fair market price and offered to them. I’m not looking for any favours.”
Many councillors commended councillor Kenny for his noble intentions but pointed out that, according to the city's disposition of land policy, a private sale is not a possibility.
“I do think it’s technically illegal to offer the sale of land to one individual,” said councillor Jim Handley. “We can offer the land for sale but it has to be done in an open and public forum. The property would then go to the highest bidder. I also know of individuals who wish to obtain that building when and if it goes up for sale.”
But according to councillor Kenny, selling the building to the highest bidder could be detrimental to the city in the long run.
“There’s a lot of people leaving the city of Thorold because they got no place to live,” councillor Kenny said. “If we get fair market value, if that was 500,000 and somebody’s offering 700,000, as far as I’m concerned the city should take the 500,000 and take care of the people who have lived in the city for 60, 70, 80 years. They are leaving the city. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet.”
Mayor Terry Ugulini said that the construction of the new fire hall will still take two years to complete so there’s no rush to make a decision right now.
“It’s not time-sensitive,” he said. “We need time to make sure that everything is done correctly.”
In the end, City Hall promised to put together a report on the matter which is to be presented at a later date.
