General

The Town of Bracebridge decides to sell a historic mill building near the heart of downtown

A photo of the historic mill Photo courtesy the town of Bracebridge

After a lengthy debate, Bracebridge’s town council has decided to sell one of its historic properties just off the main street.

The property in question is 3 Ecclestone Drive, located next to the town’s iconic silver bridge. Currently, the building is home to the Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Information Centre and the Riverwalk Restaurant. But it’s been around since 1918 when it was built by the Bird Woollen Mill as a warehouse for wool. Since then, the building’s changed hands a number of times, operating as storage or a commercial space, until the town purchased it in 1990, with the Visitor Information Centre opening in 1994.

During a Nov. 13 meeting, however, town council voted to sell the building. This was after seeking public feedback on the proposed sale back in September. Town staff had determined that there was no municipal use for the building (the Visitor Information Centre operating separately from the town), and that it had no heritage features, such as other town buildings like the Carnegie Library.

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Town staff added that managing the building was draining staff time and resources. Between 2019 and 2023, the building’s capital expenses cost the town approximately $670,000. And staff predicted that over the next 10 years, the building would cost Bracebridge upwards of $639,000.

This resonated with council as its budget is tighter than usual this year, Bracebridge having opened the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre, a $78-million multi-purpose venue that houses a hockey arena, multi-sport fieldhouse, library, auditorium, meeting spaces, and an outdoor playground.

“Our ability to withstand unexpected events is not quite what it would be during a less tight period because we are opening this facility,” said Paul Judson, the town’s director of finance, during the meeting.

By selling 3 Ecclestone Drive as a surplus, town staff argued that this could help reenforce Bracebridge’s financial reserves.

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But not all council members agreed with this. Councillor Don Smith, who proposed extending the decision to the next planning and development meeting, pointed out that the building acts as a main washroom site for visiting tourists with few alternatives in the area. He added that in July and August of this year, the area saw over 800 groups of visitors each month—with groups meaning as few as two people or as many as 50.

Councillor Debbie Vernon, who’s part of Bracebridge’s BIA, said that local businesses had voiced concerns that the loss of the Visitor Information Centre could impact tourist numbers and, as a result, sales.

Finally, Councillor Barb McMurray criticized the other councillors for not recognizing the building’s historical significance. “This is a heritage building that belongs to the town,” she said. “It’s not just about being a landlord of a piece of property.”

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However, these three councillors were outvoted with the rest of council deciding to move forward with the sale. The main reason councillors gave is that 3 Ecclestone Drive is not officially listed as a historically designated building, and that town resources would be better allocated to Bracebridge’s Downtown Master Plan, which includes the refurbishment of Manitoba Street, the Lands Above the Falls, Woodchester Villa, Bracebridge Bay Park, Carnegie Library, the Post Office, Memorial Park, and Memorial Arena.

There was no word on when the property will be put up for sale or how much it will be listed for. The Bird Mill Mews parkette attached to the building will not be included in the sale.

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