Township to coordinate efforts with Wellington Catholic District School Board to facilitate expansion in Centre Wellington

CENTRE WELLINGTON – To support a request from the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) and the future expansion of St. Joseph Catholic School, Township staff are recommending Council declare Strathallan Park as surplus, for the purpose of conveyance to the WCDSB for a future school expansion. 

The recommendation by Township Staff includes declaring Strathallan Park as surplus for the purpose of selling the property to the WCDSB strictly for institutional purposes. Prior to any secondary school’s development, the park will continue to operate and be maintained by the Township.  As a school site, the greenspace will be maintained and allow access to the public outside of school hours (evenings, weekends and during the summer).  The sale of land would be conditional on the approval of the Ministry of Education, and so the surplus declaration is only the first step in the process. As per the Townships Policy with Respect to the Sale and Other Disposition of Land by the Municipality, Council must declare the property as surplus prior to negotiating or finalizing any agreement of purchase and sale. 

By declaring this property surplus, the following can proceed:

• The Township can sell the property to WCDSB.
• Strengthen WCDSB’s application for expansion.  For the WCDSB to support their application for the school addition with the Ministry of Education, they need to own the property where the school and school grounds would expand.
• WCDSB can proceed with rezoning the property to meet their institutional purposes while maintaining the existing Open Space Recreation zoning.

Presently students in Centre Wellington are bussed outside of the community to attend a Wellington Catholic District School Board high school.  As a community preparing for growth, the addition of schools is a necessity, that in this case, the Township can support. 

For more information:

Kendra Martin  | Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Communications

Township of Centre Wellington | 1 MacDonald Square, Elora, ON  N0B 1S0

519.846.9691  x220  centrewellington.ca
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