Just a few months ago, Jim Burton, chairman of the James A. Burton & Family Foundation, was urging Niagara-on-the-Lake to rethink its approach to redeveloping the former hospital site on Wellington Street.
Now, he’s praising the town for doing exactly that.
“I think I want to compliment them,” Burton told The Lake Report after council voted to launch a two-stage process to find qualified project leaders for the property at 176 Wellington St., putting aside previous plans to turn the site into a parking lot with 150 spaces.
“I give them great credit for being willing to acknowledge that what they first put forward they’ve now realized isn’t feasible and, so, they’re open to other ideas.”
For months, Burton and the foundation pushed the town to consider a wider range of possibilities for the site, arguing it should remain a community asset and that the town should widen its focus beyond turning it into a parking lot.
Last week, council approved a request for qualifications process aimed at identifying proponents with the experience and financial capacity to redevelop the prominent Old Town property. Staff will later return with the results and a proposed request for proposals before the next phase moves ahead.
The decision reopens the question of what the future for 176 Wellington St. could look like, after public consultation found residents wanted the town-owned site to serve the community going forward.
The foundation is proposing a community hub that would include arts, culture, education, heritage, daycare, performance and exhibition space, alongside parking and other community uses.
Burton said he was pleased to see the town move away from the possibility of focusing exclusively on the structured parking concept that was explored earlier this year.
“We really do appreciate that the planning group came back with the recommendation they did.”
“We were very concerned,” he said, “that they might narrow it down to specifically looking at their proposal for that two-storey parking lot, which would have left very limited space left over.”
Instead, Burton said, the town chose a path that leaves room for different ideas.
“We wanted them to hopefully be open for all sorts of ideas from all sorts of people, including us and others, on what might be the best choice for 176 Wellington.”
Burton also backed the town’s decision to use a two-step process beginning with a request for qualifications.
“I respect that,” he said. “I’ve seen it done both ways and we’re comfortable with that process.”
The foundation is now seeking legal advice about what it can publicly discuss while the procurement process unfolds.
“What we are aware of is once they call for a (request for proposals), a (request for qualifications), you’re not allowed to say anything,” Burton said. “That part is clear.”
“What isn’t clear is whether or not we’re jeopardizing our position.”
For now, Burton stopped short of directly confirming a future proposal, but made clear the foundation remains deeply interested if an opportunity opens.
“What I know I can say now is that we’re very passionate about the vision of the project and we will hopefully be able to consider all options as they unveil, or become open to us,” he said.
