Less than a year after Mayor Ferguson told Sarah Bobas, Christina Zeidler and the Wellington Town Hall Stewardship Association to “go like hell” on their plans for the Town Hall, they have presented Council with a request to move toward ownership.

An MOU gave the group a year, beginning Feb. 1, to establish itself as a legal non-profit, form a board and develop the financial, operational and community plans needed to take on the Hall. 

The conditions were met in just over six months.

“Staff are satisfied that the association has met the conditions necessary to proceed to the next phase of the transition process, and have demonstrated readiness to assume responsibility for the long-term ownership, operation, and stewardship of the Wellington Town Hall,” said Lisa Lindsay, director of Recreation and Community Facilities.

The association, now an incorporated non profit, has developed financial planning and fundraising strategies, undertaken community consultations, and prepared stewardship and development plans.

“We took that ‘go like hell’ direction very seriously,” Ms. Bobas said.

The work involved more than checking items off a list.

Looking back, Ms. Bobas said the first Council meeting came as a shock. She and Ms. Zeidler had not expected opposition to their proposal, which they saw as returning civic space to community use.

“We thought, we understand the vision and we know what this means, but maybe we’re not articulating that properly,” she said.

The group spent the following months working with the community, Council, and municipal staff to better explain how its proposal fit with the municipality’s priorities and what the Town Hall would — and would not — become.

That work changed the reception of the project.

“It’s super-emotional,” Ms. Bobas said of Tuesday’s unanimous vote. “This is something that Christina and I and the whole stewardship team and everyone involved wants, cares about, for the community benefit, for our own personal benefit, for future generations.”

Councillors who had hoped for a different direction for the Town Hall commended the progress.

“I have to say I’m very happy that I shifted,” Councillor Braney said.

“Congratulations. You proved me wrong,” Councillor St-Jean added.

A cultural programming hub

The vision is for a cultural and arts programming hub. A phased approach will allow for community use to begin even while longer-term renovations are underway.

Ms. Bobas said one of the biggest challenges now will be ensuring residents understand what the Town Hall is intended to be.

“This is a cultural and arts programming hub,” she said. “This is a place where there will be cross-generational stuff happening that will enrich the lives of people of every generation in this community.”

The goal is not another general-purpose rental space, but to work with programming partners to provide things the community does not currently have. That could include everything from community events and performances to new programming.

“I want everyone in this community to come into that space and hear and experience and contribute to the vision and the energy,” she said.

“I want to hear from everyone that’s ever had a dance there on a Friday night or a pancake breakfast.”  For Ms. Bobas, that is what community ownership ultimately means.

“Congratulations to you because this is yours,” she said. “This is not me and Christina. This is all of ours.”

The next step is a sales agreement and property disposition process. The formal transfer returns to Council in early 2027.

After that, responsibility for operating, maintaining, insuring and rehabilitating the building shifts to the association. No direct municipal financial contribution is proposed as part of the ownership transfer.

Mayor Ferguson sees potential beyond Wellington.

“This is a great model for something that could get more legs and help us out a great deal,” he said, referring to the possibility of repurposing other municipal buildings.

For now, the Town Hall remains in municipal hands. But after months of planning, consultation and groundwork, the group that once had to convince Council to take a chance on its proposal is now preparing to take the keys.