DSBN accepting offers on Parliament Oak property until Jan. 5
The Town Niagara-in-the-Lake is getting nowhere in its bid to purchase the Parliament Oak School property in the Old Town.
The elementary school was closed by District School Board of Niagara two years ago and was declared surplus last year.
The town has made three offers to buy the property but none of them have been accepted by the school board.
On Monday, Lord Mayor Pat Darte read a letter in town council chambers that he had received from DSBN chair Dale Robinson dated Dec. 1.
“It’s been a very long event,” Darte, referring to the town’s failed negotiations with the school board that lasted almost a year, said at the committee-of-the-whole meeting.
He said he wanted Robinson’s letter read on the record to make the situation clear to the public.
Robinson wrote that DSBN recognizes the importance of the Parliament Oak property to the town and that’s why additional time for negotiations was provided.
Trustees reviewed an offer from the Ontario government to provide a facilitator between the two parties to expedite a deal.
“After careful consideration, trustees took a unanimous vote to continue with the sale by tender,” Robinson wrote. “As such we are unable to accept the facilitator’s assistance.”
“We feel it is important to avoid any appearance of impropriety to allow all parties, including the town, a fair opportunity to bid on the property,” Robinson wrote.
“We have had many respectful, positive and productive conversations regarding this property. We would like to keep the lines of communication open.”
Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors did not comment on the letter, but Darte said after the meeting that it doesn’t look like the board is willing to continue talks with the town.
Believed to be the site of Canada’s first session of Parliament, the 1.6-hectare property on King Street is now for sale on the open market with a deadline of Jan. 5 for offers.
A Niagara-on-the-Lake group has expressed interest in using the former school building as a community hub to attract tenants such as arts and music groups, service organizations, preschool and youth groups, and possibly the not-for-profit Royal Oak Community School. The private elementary school opened after the closure of Parliament Oak and is temporarily located in the former Niagara-on-the-Lake hospital building.
The town’s third offer to buy the property, which was above asking price, was turned down in October.