Why is city hall offering to buy this former public school in east London?

The future of a vacant school property on Hamilton Road may be coming into focus.

During a debate by council’s Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee about winter shelter beds for Londoners experiencing homelessness, focus turned to a failed plan that initially would have operated 100 beds inside the Bob Hayward YMCA Building.

Known as ‘The Bob,’ it’s slated to close Nov. 24.

Ward 1 Coun. Hadleigh McAlister told colleagues he received a lot of feedback about the possible repurposing of ‘The Bob’ into a winter shelter.

“I think there’s a lot of rumours. Disinformation is kind of flying around that location,” McAlister said. “My first question to [city staff] is if we have put in an offer on the Fairmont School which is adjacent to it?”

The former Fairmont Public School at 1040 Hamilton Rd. sits on a 4.5 hectare property next to the YMCA building at 1050 Hamilton Rd.

The school closed in June 2022.

The future of both properties is currently uncertain, but McAlister pushed for a long-term residential use.

“Housing is the solution. It is a large plot of land,” he said. “I do not have a lot of developable land in my ward.”

In May, a municipal planning report recommended council consider acquiring the school property, “for municipal purposes of affordable housing and parkland.”

McAlister appeared to confirm that an offer was made to the Thames Valley District School Board and said, “I would like, from my ward’s perspective, to see a longer-term use of that land. The Fairmont [Public School], we put an offer in…”

At that point McAlister was interrupted by an insistent Mayor Josh Morgan.

“Councillor, Councillor McAlister, I know this is a little unorthodox [but] could you join me with the clerks for a sec?” Morgan said as he paused the meeting.

The mayor appeared to remind McAlister not to reveal any confidential information about property matters unless a deal is finalized.

Neighbour Craig Strickland’s home backs onto the school property.

He’s concerned about ongoing vandalism to the school building and believes an affordable housing project led by the city would be welcomed.

“Housing is desperately needed,” he told CTV News London. “More and more people are on the streets. They can’t afford housing.”

McAlister’s comments to the committee also suggested that TVDSB will respond to the city’s offer before the end of this year.