Council selects Save Picton Town Hall ‘Hall for All’ as preferred proposal

UPDATE: Just past 1 a.m., council passed a motion to select the Save Picton Town Hall ‘Hall for All’ as the preferred proposal and to work with the group on terms of reference for a board of management structure. The group has 18 months from the appointment of the board to secure necessary capital funding required to meet objectives of their plan, and staff will report back to council no later than the second Committee of the Whole meeting in May. Ongoing operations are contingent on the board’s ability to achieve full cost recovery for operations and maintenance of the facilities and secure a suitable lease with an anchor tenant. Staff will report back to council with updates in six month intervals.

The decision followed four hours of deputations and comments from the audience, some further council business, then further discussion and several amendments.

18 delegations scheduled to speak to fate of Picton’s Town Hall

Picton Town Hall

There are 18 delegations scheduled for Tuesday night’s council meeting wanting to speak to the fate of Picton’s Town Hall. They each have up to 10 minutes to speak. Comments will also be allowed from public members in attendance, but are limited to three minutes each.

At February’s Committee of the Whole meeting, councillors spoke to the difficulty of voting with their hearts to be fiscally responsible, or to their hearts, to honour community and heritage, while reviewing two polar expressions of interest.

On council’s agenda is approval of a motion to defer the two submissions, directing staff to provide council with an expedited request for proposals process – including full consideration of a public private partnership option that would assure the public good and permanent heritage value; as well as assure indefinite public access at no, or minimal cost increase to community groups. The request, including final recommendations, is to completed within eight months.

Council also wants a recent market analysis on the property and an update on capital repairs needed.

One of the two submissions “A Hall for All” comes from the Save Picton Town Hall group which proposes maintained municipal ownership, operating the facility through a board of management. The upper level would continue as a Town Hall, the lower, former fire department, would be renovated and operated as office, commercial and retail space.

The second was from Michael David Hymus, of Hymus Holdings, offering $525,000 for the hall, plus a $250,000 donation to the Picton Library expansion.

He proposes an innovative 50-unit modest pod style hotel/hostel with rates of $30-$45 per night to service the sports tourism, business and younger visitor market with affordable, centralized accommodation which he says is currently under serviced in the County, sending those visitors north in neighbouring communities.

He states the use of surrounding land will be community focused and could include an outdoor ice rink similiar to the one he provides in Wellington, and an “inviting streetscape with public gathering points for year-round enjoyment”.

Though both proposals align with current priorities in the municipality, staff in their report, favoured the community proposal for its potential to reduce operating costs of the facility while allowing activities that support seniors needs, education, agriculture, cultural heritage, arts, business start-ups and “sense of belonging”.

It was also noted an increasing number of the County’s Town Halls are being operated successfully under board of management models, including Mt. Tabor in Milford, the South Marysburgh Hall, a portion of Bloomfield’s Town Hall and a current proposal for the Wellington Town Hall.

Lindsay Reid, of Branch Architecture, is sharing renovation drawings and the Baxter Engineering Report from 2012.

Former councillor Bev Campbell is scheduled to lead the deputations Tuesday night urging council to approve the staff recommendation to select the Save Picton Town Hall submission.

“The vision for the plan is to preserve the historic Picton Town Hall building as a public asset that will pay economic, social and cultural dividends far into the future. This plan connects a beautiful gathering space for arts and community use upstairs to tenant space for learning and small business innovation downstairs. Around it will be a farmers’ market. A hall for all.”

She and others in support note the municipality will save $55,000 annually by eliminating the current annual net loss from operating the hall and that future operating success has potential for building reserves to address future capital needs.

“500 named individuals from across the County have expressed their support,” she states. “People are ready to make it happen.”

Stephanie Bell addresses the hall as a vital space for those struggling financially.

“If you can barely afford rent and food, life becomes very limited and painful. It can become lonely and grim,” her deputation states. “When you’re in poverty you become uber isolated because you can’t afford to go and do most things… You become separated from normal life. But cheap or free community events and public spaces can keep you sane. They can bring you back into the fold of social life.”

A deputation from Dale Smith, who lives across from the Town Hall, states that though the hall should be run more efficiently, with fiscal responsibility, he does not want “to live across from a pub with grease fans blowing 24/7, drunks in Benson Park late into the night doing God knows what; late night noise complaints every night as our bedroom windows face this building…”

He suggests town offices could occupy the lower floor “rather than draining precious revenue by renting elsewhere”.

“At present it’s poorly run, not financially sound, not promoted and nearly impossible to book – let alone find a schedule of events or possible openings online.”

“Give this group Save Picton Town Hall a chance to get it running smoothly… these are the best kind of community partners and neighbours to have – not just for our home but for the entire community.”

David Hymus is also scheduled to make a deputation with a brief outline of his vision and business plan.

“My belief is that with the $55,000 per year in savings, plus the revenue from the sale of the asset and future taxes that would be generated, there would be more than enough funds to help these groups offset the costs of renting the community centre.

“One councillor did make this suggestion and it was met with conflict in which the non-profit members state the floor isn’t soft enough, the centre is too large and not quaint enough. Other reasons are ‘where we would hang the portraits of the previous mayors, the chairs aren’t comfortable and that the HVAC system is loud’. All of these objections could be simply overcome with minimal effort and these groups could easily be relocated.”

He reminds he has invested in excess of $10 million into the County, purchasing derelict properties.

“I employ as many as 70 local residents, carry a payroll which exceeds $2.5 million annual, have donated over $500,000 to various groups and pay property tax that is nearing $100,000 per year. My goal with acquiring the fire hall was to invest another $1.7 million into our downtown core – to create much needed accommodations, as well as a food and beverage aspect. My goal was also to create more jobs, increase our tax base and bring more commerce to the downtown area which would in turn support local shops and businesses.”

He states his “fight is weakened with chirps and comments on Facebook… and “more insults and comments which are nothing but hurtful to someone who has worked so hard and given so much to a community that he cares very much about.”

Council meets at 7p.m. at Shire Hall.