Former George Hamilton School site in Port Hope goes up for sale following staff suggestion to keep it

Some Port Hope councillors leveled a strong rebuke to staff regarding the future of the former George Hamilton School property Tuesday night.

After council declared it a surplus property through a motion and bylaw in January 2025, a motion to reconsider the decision and bylaw was before council.

Port Hope Chief Administrative Officer Mike Melinyshyn told councillors new information had come to light and the possibility for future uses of the property, given Ontario Power Generation’s nuclear ambitions for the region, was enough for Melinyshyn to ask for a second look at whether selling the property at this time was appropriate.

Melinyshyn also suggested a possible land use could be a health hub. When councillors pressed him for the new information, he did not provide it, citing closed session confidentiality and that he wanted a more fulsome discussion on the property before moving forward.

Shrishma Davé, the clerk, also explained no further action by council was taken to sell the land in the past year and a half, and resources were not committed to fulfilling Council’s request to sell the property.

Councillor Claire Holloway Wadhwani was frustrated that council was revisiting a decision it had already made, and that staff had not followed through on its decisions.

“I find it though a little bit concerning that the reason it’s appropriate to be asked to reconsider is because the work that is being reconsidered in the original vote was not done,” she said.

Holloway Wadhwani called the move convenient and risky.

“If Council direction is not implemented, then it opens up the possibility for it to be coming back for reconsideration,” she said.

She explained the staff report is very vague about why Port Hope should keep the land.

“Part of it might be that I don’t know what the conversations are about these other potential opportunities. I’m a bit concerned about the thought a lot has been contemplated, that staff time and resources are being spent on exploring options for a property that council has already decided to surplus and sell,” she said.

Councillor Vicki Mink said it is challenging to make a decision, as over the years, the property has been under consideration for future uses, but nothing has ever come to what to do about it, whether that is the building is structurally sound or if Port Hope Police Service will use it for a training facility.

Where’s the vision, she asked?

Mink said the former school site has potential for municipal administrative services; however, since Port Hope is moving ahead with the purchase of 39 Pine Street North to accommodate staff, what is the business case for keeping the rural property?

She said selling the school site would help offset the cost of the 39 Pine Street project.

Councillor Todd Attridge echoed Holloway Wadhwani and Mink, adding that conversations on keeping the George Hamilton School property were not with council, and that staff has not presented a needs assessment detailing why the municipality should keep the property.

In a staff report, it said: “that the original intended uses for the property purchase originally in 2021 had not come to fruition and it was recommended that the property be sold.” Port Hope paid approximately $572,000 for the property.

Councillor Les Andrews was in favour of removing the surplus status designation, wanting to keep the property. He sees its value increase in the future. Councillor Darrell Toms, Deputy Mayor Adam Pearson and Mayor Olena Hankivsky expressed support for keeping the land.

Procedurally, for a reconsideration motion and bylaw to pass, a two-thirds majority would be needed, as at least five of seven councillors would have to be in favour. The motion failed 4-3, with Attridge, Holloway Wadhwani, and Mink voting against. Staff will now work to implement the land sale.