If you’ve lived or visited the area and haven’t had an opportunity to see the interior of the Waterloo Summit Centre for the Environment, you may get one last chance before the Town of Huntsville hands over the keys to the building’s new owner in June.
De Novo Trust Fund proposed the winning bid out of five under an RFP (request for proposal) issued by the Town for the building. The rehabilitation centre’s offer was to purchase the building and adjacent parking lot for $3,905,000, which the Town officially accepted on March 22, 2018. The deal closes on June 20, 2018, giving the Town enough time for one last rental, according to Huntsville CAO Denise Corry.
Kim Bordeleau, Returning Officer for Parry Sound-Muskoka with Elections Ontario, was before Huntsville council at its March 26, 2018 meeting asking to rent the space. “I am required to come up with 10,000 square feet of space to use for a returning office for the election,” she said.
The location of the returning office has also typically been where advanced polling takes place.
Bordeleau told council that the average monthly rate Elections Ontario currently pays is about $20,000. “The rental, if we go with the daily rate is significantly higher,” she said, adding that such a rate would be prohibitive.
Corry told council that based on the Town’s user fee bylaw and the number of rooms that are required, the cost would be approximately $65,200 and said the rental would take place between May 1 and June 19, 2018, which is a day before the closing of the sale of the building. “So it would still work,” she added.
In the end, Town staff was asked to negotiate with Elections Ontario for the best rental rate possible for the Waterloo Summit Centre for the Environment, but not to go any lower than $40,000.
Provincial elections will be held on June 7, 2018.
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hmmm $10,000 a week rent, paid from one tax troft to another, to sit at tables with cardboard ballot boxes – seems reasonable
Ridiculous!!! Based on Election Ontario’s allowed rate, they can only tender approximately $26,000; and the Town wants to gouge them with “no lower than $40,000”. After all, this building has been such a cash cow for us. Charge them $25,000, and be happy with the unexpected windfall.