Hillcrest Public School property decision coming soon

By Alex Mahar

BELLEVILLE – The Hillcrest Public School property will be a priority for the city of Belleville in 2020 says Mayor Mitch Panciuk.

Panciuk told QNet News on Monday that development on the Hillcrest property will be a big part of the 2021 capital budget due to be passed this fall. He adds that the city is still in the process of seeking public input about what to do with the land but replacing lost green space with recreational parks and facilities is a focus for the city.

“There will be a public consultation meeting in the near future. People are invited to come out and share ideas, there will be drawings and things like that to determine what is the best use for the land,” Panciuk adds.

Using the property for residential purposes is also a possibility. 

“We expect there will be some land left over that we will sever and sell off as individual lots for housing,” said Panciuk.

In late October, the city purchased the former Hillcrest Public School property for $800,000. At the time, the mayor said the city was going to go through an extensive community consultation about what to do with the property.

Hillcrest is located east of Cannifton Road and north of College Street East. The land is surrounded by natural green space which offers the possibility of turning the property into an outdoor recreational facility.

The existing Hillcrest Public School building that currently sits on the property will be demolished to create space for new development. The decision on the 2021 capital budget will be made in the fall of this year which means the city will need to create a plan for the property in the coming months.

Belleville held its 2020 New Year’s Levee on Saturday at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre. Panciuk was in attendance discussing major development projects such as the Bell Boulevard and Avondale Road expansions, the Memorial Arena resurrection and a recreational master plan all of which were approved in the 2020 capital budget.