Vittoria Town Hall
The future of the historic Vittoria Old Town Hall and adjacent Lamport Park is once again in the hands of Norfolk County Council after a recent proposal from a local non-profit failed to meet key conditions for a nominal transfer.
In January, Norfolk County staff presented Council with a report outlining six options for the underused but heritage-designated facility, which faces $1 million in immediate capital repairs and a further $245,000 needed over the next two decades.
The preferred option, Option #3, proposed transferring the Hall to a local non-profit for a symbolic $1, while retaining Lamport Park as public greenspace.
To pursue that goal, Norfolk County launched a special Expression of Interest (EOI) process in April to find a community group willing to take on the building under specific terms.
Only one submission was received—from The Vittoria & District Foundation Inc.—but County staff now say the proposal falls significantly short of the original intent.
The Foundation requested over $500,000 in financial support, including a $300,000 upfront capital grant, $150,000 in operating grants over five years, waived property taxes in perpetuity, and coverage of legal, water testing, and septic inspection costs.
Staff concluded that the submission did not align with the $1 nominal sale condition and instead posed significant ongoing costs to the municipality.
“The proposal deviates substantially from the intended purpose of Option #3, which aimed to eliminate capital and operational costs for the County,” reads the staff report. “Without proper grant accountability frameworks, this level of funding for a non-County asset poses significant concerns.”
As a result, staff are now recommending that Council proceed with Option #6, which would declare both the Hall and parkland surplus and sell the entire property on the open market.
This option, while resulting in the loss of a public facility, is expected to generate up to $520,000 in revenue and remove future maintenance burdens from the County’s budget.
If Council proceeds with this option, minor relocation costs of approximately $10,000 will be incurred to move existing monuments and the flagpole to another County property within Vittoria.
The building’s heritage designation will remain in place, ensuring any alterations to the exterior require County approval.
The decision is expected to come before Council on Thursday. Community members with a stake in the preservation or future use of the site are encouraged to stay engaged as the process moves forward.