Consultant unveils development plans for former Shelburne Boy's School

By Greg Bennett

The Coast Guard

NovaNewsNow.com

The former boys school will soon have a new name and a new purpose.

If a planned purchase goes through this month, the former school will be home to offices and a security training centre, with future long term plans to develop seniors and student housing as well as commercial businesses and parkland at the site.

Consultant Ralston MacDonnell shared plans for the former Shelburne boys school property with municipal residents who were gathered for a budget meeting on Monday night.

While MacDonnell did not name the buyers he represented, his presentation answered many of the questions people had about the plans for the former boys school site.

MacDonnell said there were challenges and opportunities at the site which the company envisions as a mixed-use neighborhood development.

“Sometimes history has a way of defining the future,” he said, referring to the history of abuse and claims at the former boys school. “For that site it would be necessary to have a substantial image makeover.”

In the short term, MacDonnell said the company would like to secure a major tenant for the office space at the site, noting that the municipality would have the first opportunity to lease space at the site.

There has been a controversial municipal budget proposal to lease space at the facility and demolish the current municipal office building.

But MacDonnell emphasized that the deal was not contingent on the municipality moving its offices to the site.

“It’s not a condition of the offer,” he said. “That’s the important fact.”