The Municipality of North Grenville will officially purchase the Kemptville Campus from the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario on Wednesday.
According to the municipality they’re paying $7.7 million for 633 acres and 34 buildings, which will be turned into an Education and Community Hub. The hub will reportedly be focused on education and training, health and wellness, and economic development. The municipality says the property was originally appraised at $11 million but it was reduced because of infrastructure deficits and maintenance that had not been performed on the property.
The French Language School Board is investing in the hub by purchasing two buildings and around seven acres for $3.7 million. The money will be placed in a fund that can only be used on renewing the infrastructure and developing the hub. The municipality is also receiving a forgivable loan of $3.7 million from the province, but these funds have to be spent on the hub over the next seven years. The final $4 million is coming in the form of loan from Infrastructure Ontario. The municipality says no municipal taxpayers dollars are being spent on the purchase price.
Chair of the French Language School Board Linda Savard says the partnership between the board and municipality is a sign of development, economic stability and proof of their commitment to the community. The hub will be run by what the municipality is calling a wholly-not-for-profit corporation that will operate at arms length from town hall.
North Grenville Mayor David Gordon says the outcome is very good news for Kemptville Campus and the surround communities, adding that the partnership with the school board helps to facilitate the Kemptville Campus and Education Community Hub. The partnership received matching funding from the Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation and have hired Patricia Remilliard MBA and Dr. Trevin Stratton, National Lead in Economic Devlopment, to create business planning documents.
