-by Anne Finlay-Stewart
The old Courthouse, jail and 1.3 acres of land on 3rd Avenue East has been officially sold to the Southbridge Care Homes division of Southbridge Capital for $10, tax included. The sale, announced in mid-May, closed July 30. A staff report on the sale is headed to city council Monday.
The 1853 building has served many purposes over its 162 year life – Courthouse for the County of Grey, the site of the inaugural Owen Sound council meeting, police headquarters, home of the Grey Bruce Arts Council, a performance space, offices and studios. Most recently, the Tom Thomson Art Gallery held a public meeting at which the Courthouse was named as the preferred site of an expanded gallery, made necessary in part by the need to move storage of the collection out of the basement to meet insurance requirements. In their detailed business plan, the Gallery listed the benefits to the city of that site choice beyond the adaptive re-use of the building, including "re-vitalizing a near-core neighbourhood that needs transformation". The City would be left with assets, the plan said - "two saleable properties: the Rice House and the current Art Gallery, together worth considerably more than the asking price for the Courthouse."
In his report on the Courthouse sale prepared for Council, Manager of Economic Development Steve Furness said that while there was no direct financial gain in the sale, there would be a saving to the city of $15 000 in "operating and future capital costs". The expected $10 million capital project will generate construction-related short-term jobs, and the Southbridge executives have suggested 30 to 40 jobs will be created in the completed facility.
The new owners have been made aware of the heritage features of the Courthouse building, including the second-floor courtroom, and of their obligations under the Ontario Heritage Act regarding alteration and demolition. The specific wording in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale reads: "at a minimum, the appearance of the front facade of the courthouse building will generally be retained as part of any redevelopment, and for additional clarity the stonework of the front facade will be retained", and "the existing roof will be replaced with a roof or roof facade that generally reflects the heritage character of the current courthouse building". No mention is made of the courtroom or any other interior features.
The agreement includes a "buy-back" clause that allows Southbridge to sell the property back to the city in "the same or better condition" for the same price any time in the next four years, before changes are made to the property. The buyer can sell it back if it does not get approvals from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, or development incentives, or is not satisfied with any reports it receives relating to the proposed development.
Courthouse Timeline
May 20, 1853 - County of Grey Courthouse building completed.
March 30, 1979 - Ontario Heritage Act Designations made.
November, 2013 - The Old Courthouse is specifically named in the citation for Owen Sound's Prince of Wales Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership
March 3, 2014 - City holds public meeting preparatory to declaring the Courthouse and Jail surplus and putting the property on the market.
July 2014 – City Manager says interest is high; two offers have been made.
March 24, 2015 The Board of Management of the Tom Thomson Art Gallery unanimously accepts the recommendation to make the Courthouse/Jail property its preferred site for expansion. Begins preparing a business plan.
April 13, 2015 – Owen Sound council holds an in camera meeting to consider three matters relating to the disposition of land concerning the old courthouse.
April 16, 2015 – The Tom Thomson Art Gallery holds a public meeting at the Bayshore at which they outline not only the case for incorporating the Gallery independent of the city, but for expanding the Gallery on the Courthouse and jail site. In the presentation, the Courthouse is called "probably the most important heritage building we have in the city."
April 23, 2015 - Owen Sound council holds an in camera meeting to consider a matter relating to the disposition of land concerning the old courthouse.
May 1, 2015 – The $10 conditional offer is received from Southbridge.
May 11, 2015 – Southbridge offer is accepted by Council at an in camera meeting.
May 19, 2015 – The sale is announced by the mayor and senior Southbridge executives at a media event on the steps of the Courthouse. Mayor offers the Tom Thomson Gallery the city's help in finding a new site.
July 30, 2015 - Sale closes.
August 10, 2015 - Staff report on sale of the Courthouse and Jail will be presented to Council.
