FERGUS — Renovations are proposed to transform a local heritage property into a temporary accommodation space for healthcare professionals in 2025.
Pending council approval, the Centre Wellington 2025 draft business plan has proposed transitioning healthcare professionals living at 965 Gartshore St. in Fergus to Craighead Cottage at 495 Union St. when construction begins on the new operations centre next year.
CAO Dan Wilson confirmed at a June meeting that housing the healthcare professionals at Gartshore during construction "is not feasible."
The Gartshore Street location was renovated into an accommodation space for healthcare professionals last April and housed 32 people at the property in 2023.
Considered "a valued heritage property" in need of "major maintenance," the 2025 proposed Capital Budget said Craighead was initially purchased by the township in 2009 to help expand the Union Street Sewage Pumping Station.
A 2024 Environmental Assessment and Servicing Plan for the Fergus South development has since concluded the Union Street station won't be impacted and is now suggesting the property be renovated in 2025 and temporarily accommodate the displaced professionals.
Anticipated to cost $800,000 total, $450,000 has been allocated for the project in 2025.
When asked when the transition is anticipated, the township's manager of communications Kendra Martin said the current plan is to move the physicians to Craighead before construction begins on the operations centre, which will planned for the second half of 2025.
A report will come to council in December or early January to discuss the matter further.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
