The redevelopment of the former Queen Elizabeth elementary school will offer more than just housing.

The County announced last week they are accepting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from community members and organizations interested in locating to “a new, multi-use development” at the former school site in Picton.

After a long and winding process, the County, in connection with Prince Edward Lennox & Addington Social Services, purchased the former school, which sits on 4.76 acres in the centre of town, for $1.3 million.

To create a “community within a community,” the municipality is offering space to local community service providers, businesses, and professionals. It hopes to address pressing social, environmental, and economic issues, advance cultural planning activities and contribute to the revitalization of the neighbourhood.

An organization with collaborative designs on the site is The County Foundation.

In an email response to the Gazette, TCF noted a community hub would serve as a central space where the organization can actively contribute to and support community programming and services. 

Any project moving forward at the site must have an affordable/attainable housing component. A Tenant Selection Committee is expected to review the EOIs and make recommendations to Council on the tenant mix for the site.

The deadline to submit an EOI is 4 p.m. on Monday, August 21. The EOI document is available on the County’s website.

An information session for the EOI will be held at the Picton Town Hall (2 Ross Street) on Thursday, July 20 from 9:30 am – 11:30 am

The County is also accepting applications to sit on the Tenant Selection Committee.  The deadline to apply is Thursday, July 27. Click here for more information about applying to serve on the committee.

For more information about the former Queen Elizabeth School development or questions about the EOI process, please contact Charles Dowdall, Director of Housing, at 613.219.3104 or [email protected]

-Staff