Over 70 residents, eager to have their say, were at Rotary Hall last week for a public meeting on the redevelopment of the former Queen Elizabeth school on Barker Street in Picton.

Despite being denied a federal Housing Accelerator grant to realize its vision for the Queen Elizabeth school, Council moved ahead this spring with the $1.375 million purchase of the Centennial-era building, closed and declared surplus in 2018.

Five developers have expressed an interest in the 4.5 acre property in the centre of historic Picton, which includes the 36,000 square foot school and surrounding land. The County has also re-applied for a second round of accelerator funding.

The County is now seeking feedback from residents on the redevelopment. Its intention is to create much-needed affordable housing as well as a shared working space for community organizations.

Council and staff are priortizing a combination of community hub and affordable housing. The five proposals vary in size and number of units. They come from both not-for-profits and private corporations. 

The municipality wants a repurposed building to house a variety of public agencies in need of, not just office space, but the sense of community a collaborative hub could provide. The County’s child care, public health, arts, and youth services agencies are lining up for space. The surrounding property, meanwhile, is suitable for a mix of affordable and social housing.

The most promising proposal so far is from New View Holdings. Already working to advance two other mixed-market housing projects in Picton, New View offered $1.5 million to purchase the property. It would build three four-storey buildings with 246 rental apartments. Rents would split the units approximately 50-50 between market and affordable rates. 

The proposal entails replacing the school with a 12,000 square foot community hub. New View would work with the County to select community agency tenants and lease on a cost-recovery basis. Occupancy could be as soon as 2027.

Quinte’s Isle Non-Profit Housing Corporation proposed deeply affordable housing units, eligible for social services funding to support a rent-to-income support model, as well as supportive or special needs housing created in partnership with the Prince Edward Learning Centre, Community Living Prince Edward, and Alternatives for Women.

The three other proposals came from commercial firms: A3 Partners, Port Picton Homes, and Sterling Homes. These proposals laid less emphasis on a community hub, in general. Sterling Homes, for example, proposes redeveloping the school building into 234 purpose-built, mixed-market rentals, adding medium density units on the additional land, and mentions some rental space for community groups. 

While the public meeting was to gather feedback, details about the proposals were thin on the ground. Residents had little idea what they were being asked to respond to.

Adam Goheen, the County’s Director of Housing, said talks with developers are “mid-stream” and the purpose of the meeting was “to see what a [development] partner can do and what the public can tolerate.”

Mr. Goheen and Elis Ziegler, the County’s affordable housing supervisor, gave a half-hour presentation outlining the need for the new housing. “This has to be for community benefit,” said Mr. Goheen, who said it has been the County’s intention since the school board declared it surplus in 2018, “to provide for those who need reduced rent.”

He stressed the County is seeking public feedback before committing to a plan. “We’re not putting shovels in the ground tomorrow.”

Michael Michaud, Manager of Planning, was also on hand to answer questions, as was Mayor Steve Ferguson. Councillors Kate MacNaughton, Phil St-Jean, Brad Nieman and John Hirsch as well as County staff mingled with the crowd after the presentation in an effort to hear residents’ concerns. 

The neighbourhood, one of Picton’s oldest and lined with nineteenth-century houses, is already home to The Salvation Army, which runs a food bank and other social programs. But many residents were concerned the County is rushing into a project so that it can get the school off its books before year-end. They worry the development would pack in too many people, without the required water infrastructure or social support systems in place. 

Alla Lisitsyna moved to the neighborhood from Belleville six months ago with her husband, looking to start a family. “I support affordable housing,” she said, “but I worry about the number of people coming and the social problems that may arise. For example, it may attract single parents, but there is no daycare nearby.” 

Another local resident, Dave Mackenzie, was equally concerned. “You’re going to bring in 400 people to this neighborhood. But how are you going to take care of them? The County bought the property without a plan, and now wants to unload it before year’s end.” 

Mr. Mackenzie was also concerned about speed. “The cart is before the horse. We need to fix social issues first. Like health care, for example. I’ve lived here for three years and I still don’t have a doctor.”

Lars Hansen, a marketing executive at Queen’s University who lives near the school, organized a petition with 250 signatures. It summarizes resident concerns into four directives: moderate density and a 70/30 mix of market value and affordable housing; buildings no taller than three storeys and with architecture that integrates into the existing historic neighborhood; contiguous green space; and a social hub to meet the needs of the greater community.

Mr. Hansen said he had sent the petition to Council, but, “despite our hope that councillors would embrace our recommendations as a part of their decision making process, we have been given only the commitment that our concerns will be ‘passed on’ to developers bidding on the project,” he wrote in an email.  

He says he communicated with Mayor Ferguson at the meeting, but that they had a difference of opinion. “The Mayor told me he thinks it’s important to avoid being too prescriptive. But the County owns the property,” said Hansen. “It needs to own the process because it’s going to own the outcome.”

“Affordable housing” is defined as 20 percent below the median market rent for apartments or 80 percent of the market price for a home, said Mx. Ziegler. 

“The median household income in the County is $82,000,” they said. “Fifty percent of residents here cannot afford a one bedroom apartment.” 

The average price of a one-bedroom is $1804, according to the County’s most recent housing data. Mx. Ziegler also noted people experiencing homelessness in this community are underserved. “Homelessness is a growing problem here, and one that isn’t always obvious.”