Sudbury

Potential sale of 200 Larch St. leaves one Sudbury councillor feeling cold

The City of Greater Sudbury is toying with the idea of selling a building that houses some local social services.

Sale of "surplus" property would force move for Out of the Cold service, as well as auditor general

200 Larch Street in Sudbury houses social services and two community organizations. The city has deemed the property surplus and plans to eventually sell it. (Google Maps 2016)

The City of Greater Sudbury is toying with the idea of selling a building that houses some local social services.

200 Larch Street — the city's former police station — is home to the Out of the Cold program and harm reduction services. The building is also used as office space for the city's auditor general and Rainbow Routes.

The services would have to be relocated if the city decides to sell the building.

Councillor Robert Kirwan said the city's decision to sell a useful property doesn't make sense.
Sudbury city councillor Robert Kirwan said the sale of 200 Larch St. isn't in the city's best interests. (Yvon Theriault/Radio-Canada)

"I would hate to see a building that is so valuable, so centrally located, so close to the vulnerable people we're talking about being put on the market for the private sector to come in and do something with it and make a good profit on it because we might need that building," he said.

But Ron Henderson, Sudbury's director of citizen services, said the sale isn't imminent.

"Nothing's going to be happening soon and nothing surely will happen without council concurrence," Henderson said.

Henderson said the city, while looking to sell surplus properties, is also looking for a permanent location for Out of the Cold.

According to a staff report, the city has already "identified alternate municipal property suitable for re-location of the Out of the Cold program."

With files from Olivia Stefanovich. Edited/packaged by Casey Stranges