Leaders back Y plans

04/07/2005

Mayor ‘delighted’ by new interim facility

BY MICHAEL-ALLAN MARION
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD

The YM-YWCA is getting some major votes of confidence after announcing a new “stepping-stone” facility in a revamped brownfield building at Wellington and Clarence streets.

“I’m delighted they up with a site to move to,” Mayor Mike Hancock said Wednesday of the Y’s $1-million-plus, 10-year partnership agreement with brownfield redeveloper King & Benton and Lanca Construction to transform the former Work Wear plant into a Family Program Centre.

PERMANENT FACILITY

The facility will provide interim quarters for many athletic and community programs while the Y continues to plan for a permanent facility on a parcel of city-owned land off Market Street South, beside Earl Haig park. The building will continue to figure in the Y’s long-term plans even after that project is finished.

“It’s good to see they have their act together,” Hancock continued. “The delay in getting an interim move announced was worrying me. But the announcement certainly gives me more confidence.”

The mayor and several city councillors are also happy the interim site is still downtown. And members appear relieved that the new building is to be ready by mid-summer to minimize disruption of services when the Y vacates its century-old building at 40 Queen St. to make way for a Y Homes affordable housing project.

Coun. Marguerite Ceschi-Smith said King & Benton Redevelopment Corp., and president Steve Charest, should be congratulated for forging a creative partnership that will bring another of the city’s 15 brownfield sites back into productive use while helping community organization.

REMEDIATION

Charest’s company has already gutted the building’s interior and done the necessary environmental remediation. Lanca Construction will give the exterior a facelift and renovate the interior to suit the Y’s needs for the next three years and beyond.

Redeveloping brownfield properties often requires special financing arrangements. Under its agreement with the Y, King & Benton will provide upfront financing and amortize the renovation cost over a 10-year lease.

The lease holds a rental fee of $3 per square foot. King & Benton has also pledged an annual donation equivalent to the rental fee.

VALUE BACK

“It’s great how Steve has done this because there is value being put back into that property,” Ceschi-Smith said, “and it’s one more down on our list of sites to be redeveloped.”

James Kent, leader of a community backing a new permanent Y, said the interim plan makes its job easier.

“It makes the Y’s role in the community a continuing role, rather than an interrupted role,” he said, adding the move lends confidence to the group’s long-term endeavours.

“I was at the Y for a run (Wednesday) and I want to say the feedback from the members I talked to is quite positive.”