Tag Archives: Terry Whitehead

City will keep Auchmar Estate in public hands!

Auchmar Estate to remain in Public Hands with City Ownership

The city presented its Auchmar Operations Plan to council today.

A majority of councillors voted Wednesday to try to negotiate a lease or operating agreement for the historic Mountain estate – but retain city ownership regardless.

If those negotiations fail, city staff will bring back an in-house repair and “adaptive reuse” plan for the crumbling heritage building, which needs $8 million in work to open totally to the public.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger and ward Councillor Terry Whitehead both pushed to end the city’s on-again, off-again pursuit of a private sector sale.

We are thrilled with the city council’s decision today to Keep Auchmar in Public Hands. Ultimately, this is the right way to go. We are confident that ultimately a sustainable adaptive reuse plan will come together for the Auchmar Estate.

The city will keep Auchmar Estate in public hands. A majority of councillors voted Wednesday to try to negotiate a lease or operating agreement for the historic Mountain estate – but retain city ownership regardless.

More information is available in the Spectator Article.

Stay tuned for further news and developments.

Sale of Auchmar Estate On Hold for Six Months

Public organizations will get one more shot at operating Auchmar Estate.
City Councillors voted 12-3 in favour of Councillor Terry Whitehead’s motion to suspend the private sale process and current negotiations with potential buyers of the Auchmar Estate for six months to give residents one more shot at keeping the heritage building in public hands.

Terry Whitehead urged councillors Wednesday to put off any sale negotiations for six months to give a recently formed “roundtable” of concerned citizens and community groups a chance to discuss ways to maintain the dilapidated mansion.

City staff warned they were already negotiating with more than one serious would-be buyer, with inquiries from other “interested parties.”
But Whitehead argued that simultaneously negotiating with buyers while also studying public proposals — the previous council-approved plan — “just muddies the waters.”

Whitehead adds that the best ideas coming out of his brainstorming effort will be included in a staff report to council.

The Ward 8 Councillor argues that separate that public and private processes will benefit all parties involved, by making sure the process does not “muddy the water”.

The Friends of Auchmar suggest a range of possible uses for the sprawling property from community gardens and artist’s lofts to weddings, conferences and public tours.

Read the full story here in the Hamilton Spectator.