Much ado about nothing
Sydney Developer wants to clear the air
SYDNEY — Kevin Colford has been around show business long enough to know that things aren’t always as they appear.
Colford, who is the man behind the successful transformation of Sydney’s former St. Andrew’s United Church into the popular Highland Arts Theatre (HAT), has been quietly working on a new project that he hopes will be a classy venue for arts, entertainment and other gatherings.
But the well-known singer, engineer and father to HAT artistic director Wesley Colford, said he believes a recent CBRM council debate, and media coverage, of the discussion over his plans to convert the former Sacred Heart Church into a well-appointed multi-use venue has painted him in a less than desirable light.
And Colford wants to set the record straight about what’s been going on inside of the former Catholic church that is located on George Street in Sydney’s historic north end.
“Those guys who went and chatted and talked had very little information and it was something that was picked up and blown out of proportion,” he said, in reference to a discussion in which councillors publicly stated their displeasure with his alleged violation of municipal bylaws.
It all began last Tuesday when the new Cape Breton Regional Municipality council met for the first time since it was elected on Oct. 17. One of the items on the agenda was Colford’s request that the council amend its North End Sydney Secondary Land Use bylaw’s parking requirements to allow for his project, to go ahead.
During the debate, it was mentioned that Colford had been issued a stop-work order back in March after the former George Street church had been visited by municipal site inspectors. And that revelation led to the developer being rebuked for allegedly performing work on the building that required a municipality-issued building and development permit.
But Colford told the Cape Breton Post that he has done nothing that could be perceived as an attempt to circumvent the process. And he said he’s disappointed about the situation as he feels it undermines his heartfelt passion, dedication and enthusiasm for trying to give the community another venue it can be proud of and that will give the arts scene a supportive shot in the arm.
“There were no structural changes that would have needed a permit because it was simply re-modelling a building that already exists - I have enhanced the building with my woodwork, there’s nothing structural, there is nothing to inspect,” said Colford, who also admitted to some new paint and some minor, but classy, washroom upgrades.
“Look, I have put so much of my heart into this. I’ve worked with the (CBRM) planning department for two years on this. They’ve been aware of this for two years and they told me to go ahead with the renovations and that nobody (inspectors) would be coming down to visit me.”
For his part, CBRM planning director Michael Ruus confirmed that his staff are continuing to work with Colford on moving the project forward.
And Colford’s good intentions were certainly not questioned as a number of councillors paid tribute to his contributions to the community over the years.
“You can hear the joy in his heart and his enthusiasm when he speaks about the project,” said District 12 councillor Lorne Green.
In the end, council voted unanimously to conduct a so-called Public Participation Program (PPP) to gather community input on the proposed changes to the existing bylaw. Those changes would not be necessary to accommodate Colford’s proposed undertaking if the building was designated as a provincial heritage property as it would be exempt from parking requirements. But the developer’s application to the province was made just after the pandemic began and has yet to be vetted. Ironically, the former church is listed as a CBRM heritage property.
Meanwhile, Colford said he’s proud of the enhancements he has so far given the old church that was built at a cost of $18,623 some 140 years ago. And he’s released some pictures of the interior of the building which he said is superbly constructed with amazing acoustics.
“If people saw the cosmetics work that has been done, they would say ‘wow’ and I think it really compliments the old look and enhances the old vision people have of the past,” said Colford.
“I would like to take people into the building to see it and for them to hear the passion that I have in my voice, but it is not allowed (under the PPP rules) because submissions have to be written.”
The last mass was held at Sacred Heart in 2014. Colford purchased the building in 2018.