Public weighs in on large redevelopment of hospital lands south of St. Thomas

Central Elgin open house for residents tonight to voice their opinions on the former psychiatric hospital lands outside of St. Thomas.

The future of 460 acres of land south of St. Thomas is the focus of a report by Central Elgin.

It was presented at a meeting on Wednesday evening.

The document explores potential land uses for the site of a former psychiatric hospital on Sunset Drive and John Wise Line.

“Our primary goal is housing. There will be a commercial, housing and it’s a mix”, said Central Elgin Mayor Andrew Sloan in an interview with CTV London.

“You’ll see all the opportunities that we have from walkability, accessibility and affordability,” he added.

Sloan explained the primary motivator for the redevelopment is to meet housing needs in response to the new $7B Volkswagen PowerCo battery facility.

“Our goal is to make it a regional benefit and to have housing here in central Elgin and Elgin County, and close to St. Thomas, so that we can service the PowerCo plant.”

The former hospital lands are still owned by the Province of Ontario, but Sloan indicated an announcement is expected soon on a new model.

“I think you’re going to see opportunities for future hospital development. And at the end of the day, it’s going to be a community that is a mix and based on sustainability, accessibility, and affordability.”

“It is a bit of a blank canvas,” he summarized.