Alternate Uses Discussed for Green Space on Picton Street West

A renewed conversation about the future of the green space at 110 Picton Street West unfolded at the January 14 Goderich Council meeting.

Residents once again urged Council to consider preserving the land as a seniorfriendly, fully accessible community space.

The proposal, presented by Sarah McKercher, recommends keeping the parcel—located beside the One Care Adult Day Centre—designated as Community Facility lands.

This could allow the land to become an extension of One Care’s services by transforming it into an accessible outdoor environment designed specifically with seniors in mind.

Why Seniors? Why This Space?

Goderich’s demographics tell a clear story:

• 47% of residents are over the age of 55

• 32% are over the age of 65

• 0% of existing municipal green spaces are fully accessible to seniors

With nearly onethird of the town’s population over 65, advocates argue that the absence of accessible outdoor spaces is a significant gap in community infrastructure.

Although the site sits within 200 metres of Bannister Park, that park does not currently meet accessibility needs for seniors or those with mobility challenges.

Because Town staff already maintain the property, supporters note that preserving the land requires no major upfront investment.

The longterm vision would rely on grants and partnerships—several of which offer between $25,000 and $1 million—including the New Horizons for Seniors Program and the FCM GMF Adaptation in Action grant.

An online survey conducted by the Town found that 32 per cent of respondents supported using the site specifically to benefit seniors and the aging population.

McKercher, who has been advocating for the site since 2023, emphasized that the land should not be treated as surplus simply because it is underutilized.

In her letter to Council, she noted that Goderich has experienced a 7.5 per cent loss of Community Facility lands over the past 16 years, representing a quarter of all designation changes during that time.

She reminded Council that the Town’s own Official Plan states that communityserving facilities “should be located within or near the downtown core”—a criterion this site meets.

Other residents echoed their concerns:

• Diane Schmidt wrote that Goderich currently has no fully accessible park for seniors or people with mobility issues. With the One Care Adult Day Centre next door, she noted that clients could simply step outside onto a safe walkway to enjoy nature. “Once greenspace is gone, it is highly unlikely to regain it,” she warned.

• Irene Gordon, a Certified Seniors Fitness Instructor at the MacKay Centre for Seniors, urged Council to consider the wellbeing benefits of a safe, accessible outdoor environment. Strategically placed benches, paved walkways, and shaded areas, she wrote, would offer seniors a meaningful opportunity to enjoy the outdoors close to home.

Council has been weighing the proposal alongside ongoing discussions about affordable housing.

In 2025, staff identified the Picton Street property as one of three priority sites for potential housing development.

A staff report recommended moving forward with an Expression of Interest to sell a portion of the land for housing, while maintaining the existing building for community use.

At the January 14 meeting, Mayor Trevor Bazinet acknowledged the importance of the green space proposal but noted that new housing opportunities have since emerged elsewhere in town.

“Since your first delegation, there have been some other things pop up that I would consider a priority… A developer came forward for a different location in town,” he said.

“We are now working with that developer.”

This shift may reduce pressure to use the Picton Street site for housing, potentially opening the door for Council to revisit the idea of preserving the land as accessible green space.

What Comes Next:

Council continues to review the best longterm use of the property. McKercher expressed gratitude for the opportunity to keep the conversation alive, emphasizing that the goal is not to oppose housing but to ensure that communityserving lands remain protected as intensification occurs.

Once the presentation ended it was opened to the floor Councillor John Thompson stated he had questions and concerns. He was concerned mostly around homelessness and parties happening in the park.

He went on to talk about seniors being in homes that are too large and unmanageable, but they are not ready to go to a retirement home. They need the zoning change to discuss options.

Councillor Randy Carroll stated this has been on the agenda for a while but there’s a lot there to decide on.

He asked for more time to put more thought into it and asked that it be deferred to the February meeting. This motion was accepted and it will, once again, be open for discussion on February 9.

With strong demographic need, growing community support, and new housing options emerging elsewhere, the future of 110 Picton Street West remains an important—and evolving—discussion for Goderich.

With notes from Kathleen Smith