Plans to convert an historic Delhi Street property into a temporary supportive housing project will move ahead.
In a decision released Tuesday morning, the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) upheld city council’s zoning amendments for 65 Delhi St. approved last year.
“They represent an efficient use of land in an appropriate location, which contributes to the county’s objective of providing transitional housing to bridge the gap between homelessness and permanent housing in the city,” states the decision, which follows a five-day hearing held last month. “Overall, the proposed ZBA (zoning bylaw amendment) and the development that it permits represent good planning in the public interest and address the urgent need to support the county in homeless housing.”
The County of Wellington owns the property, which it bought from the City of Guelph with the intent of establishing a 28-bedroom temporary supportive housing project there. It was initially proposed to have 36 bedrooms, but that was reduced before the matter reached city council for a decision.
A group known as Delhi Eramosa Neighbourhood Advocates (DENA) filed an appeal with the OLT last summer seeking to overturn city council’s ruling.
During the appeal hearing, DENA argued the change in use would create a conflict with the existing community, raised concerns about accessibility to open space and questioned the suitability of the building for its intended use, the OLT decision explains.
Efforts to reach DEMA for comment weren’t immediately successful.
"We're grateful for it," Luisa Artuso, the county's social services administrator, said of the decision. "It's something that is very much needed."
Renovations to the building will begin, "as soon as possible," she added, noting temporary supportive housing is "a critical part of the continium of a person's journey from homelessness to permanent housing."
Building residents will be provided with an array of services.
The building at 65 Delhi St., which is on the city’s list of identified heritage structures but not formally designated, was acquired by the city in 1911 and was used as an isolation hospital. During the 1960s it was converted into recreational space for summer camps, arts programs and more, but that stopped in 2008.
The north half of the building was once used by Guelph Wellington Paramedic Services.
City council declared the building surplus in 2020, opening the way for its sale, after a staff report noted it required $800,000 in renovations and repairs but had no planned use.
Wellington County’s purchase offer was dependent on zoning approval for the temporary supportive housing program.
