By Kaitlyn Clark
The Haldimand Press
DUNNVILLE—Omar Aboya has a vision to turn the empty Frank Marshall Business Park lands in Dunn-ville into about 300 affordable housing units, targeted at single parents, youth looking for starter homes, and seniors looking to downsize. He made an unsolicited offer to Haldimand County to purchase the lands for just under $1.5 million, but Council rejected the offer on June 24, 2019 after closed discussions.
“Unfortunately, there were a number of conditions attached to the offer that were not agreeable to our Council and the offer was not accepted,” said Councillor Bernie Corbett. One of these conditions was for the County to hold the mortgage on the property for three years at a zero per cent interest rate; Cathy Case, General Manager of Corporate and Social Services, noted that this would contravene the bonusing provisions of the Municipal Act.
Aboya, who has lived in Hagersville for the past five years, presented his ideas to Council on June 18 for the approximately 22 acres of land. The build would be a mix of condominium buildings with units between 600 to 1,000 square feet and townhome blocks with units between 800 to 1,000 square feet. Aboya also spoke of plans to build a 100-bed long-term care facility, along with a community centre and park on the site that would include “a $10 million indoor pool”.
“I have been looking at the price of land climbing at a crazy rate,” said Aboya, who has some experience with Haldimand real estate.
