Essex Town Council is expected to hear a presentation on the sale of a historic schoolhouse Monday night.
Councillors are scheduled to hear the plans of a local developer, who wants to purchase the former Colchester School House in Harrow and redevelop it.
The schoolhouse was previously declared a surplus property, and according to town spokesman Alex Denonville, the administration was asked in April 2020 to begin investigating the sale of surplus lands, including the schoolhouse property.
"In November of 2020, administration was approached by a local developer with a proposal to potentially purchase and develop the Colchester School House," Denonville said in an email to Blackburn News. "Council received the details of the offer at a closed meeting on December 7."
Monday night's presentation is expected to provide specific details on a site plan and blueprints for the proposed redevelopment, according to the agenda, but some in the community are opposed to the potential sale, and have expressed concern about the procedure used to offer the schoolhouse for development. The schoolhouse's status as a heritage property is a main sticking point.
Several people are set to address council on the plan at the virtual meeting, and at least one councillor is expected to introduce motions for consideration at council's February 1 meeting, pertaining to the sale of surplus properties, and those with historic distinction.
The Colchester School House, which was built in 1881 according to the town, had been the subject of sales discussion for several years now. Essex purchased the property in 2008, and it is included on the town's online heritage tour.
Colchester School House, Essex. Photo courtesy Town of Essex.
"This was the first schoolhouse in the area built under the Public Schools Act," read the Heritage Tour entry. "Its architectural style is reminiscent of schoolhouses across rural Canada during this time."
It is not known if the planned sale of the property to the developer will be decided Monday night, but Denonville told Blackburn News that once it does happen, any residents with concerns about the sale will have a chance to make them known.
"If the property is sold and moves forward with development, the developer would follow all of the requirements and procedures set out in the town’s Official Plan and zoning by-law, including site plan control and potential rezoning," said Denonville. "As with all developments in the town, citizens and stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide feedback and share concerns with administration and to the developer."
