MOUNT FOREST ‒ The Mount Forest Business Improvement Association (BIA) has requested help cleaning up a Main Street property they believe is creating a poor aesthetic in the downtown business core.
Reading a letter from the group at council Monday evening, Coun. Sherry Burke mirrored the group's belief that the building has been in a state of disarray for several years and "needs to be dealt with."
“The current state of the building is a liability for the general public neighbouring properties and provides a very poor aesthetic for our downtown business core,” said the group's chair, Andrew Coburn.
Also known as “the old tea place” at 178 Main St. S., the letter claims that the property has been under demolition for several years with no progress made since 2020.
“The Business Improvement Association takes great pride within our geographical boundaries and wants to ensure our members are represented accordingly,” said Coburn in the letter. “We are filing the complaint in hopes that proper steps are taken with landowners to rectify its current state to create a safer and more appealing downtown core to the benefit of not only our members but also the community.”
According to Burke, one resident claims to have gone through the municipality's website and received a status update that the situation was taken care of but Burke backed up the BIA’s claims that to date, it has not.
“Everybody understands that the property is to be developed,” said Burke. “But they also believe that it can be cleaned up.”
Located beside the TD Bank, when Burke walked past the property the other day she said the weeds were at least four feet high in some areas.
“I have to agree it's an eyesore,” said Coun. Penny Renken. “So to be able to resolve that would be great.”
Mayor Andy Lennox directed staff to investigate the property's demolition status, as well as the weed issue.
“As I recall, that property when they started the demolition, there were structural issues with the adjacent building,” said Lennox. “I thought that had been worked out but … I’m not sure.”
Staff will return with an updated report in September.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
