North Grenville, ON – The Municipality of North Grenville continues to work towards the upcoming renovation of Bell Hall, one of the former dormitories on the historic Kemptville Campus. This project, once realized, will create more than 60 affordable housing units, with a focus on serving seniors in our community.

This past Tuesday, November 15^th, Council awarded a contract for the role of Construction Manager to McDonald Brothers Construction (MBC) who will oversee the renovation and conversion of Bell Hall into 60 affordable residential units.

The renovation will require the hiring of various trades to convert the former dormitories into 62 multi-residential units. Given the scale of the renovation, a Construction Manager is necessary to coordinate and oversee the tasks associated with the renovation and ensure that the project remains within the expected costs.

Earlier this year, North Grenville partnered with Cahdco, a specialized non-profit housing development corporation, to lead the project. Cahdco managed the early planning phase, analyzed costs, and assessed the feasibility of transforming Bell Hall into affordable rental units. Their work included exploring ongoing operating costs, identifying potential partners, and developing strategies to ensure rents remain affordable over the long term.

The Municipality of North Grenville has committed $5 million in the 2025 municipal budget towards the project. The Municipality is in the process of finalizing an agreement with an external funding partner, who will provide approximately $25 million in grants and low-interest loans.

Work is scheduled to commence in early November 2025, beginning with essential site preparation and the phased demolition of the existing building. Following this initial stage, the full renovation phase is anticipated to start early 2026, with project completion projected for the summer of 2027.

The new Bell Hall will feature a thoughtful mix of one- and two-bedroom units, designed to meet the diverse needs of residents while maintaining a welcoming, community-oriented environment.

“Affordable housing has consistently been raised as a key challenge in our community,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford.

“We know that there aren’t enough options for people as they age. The redevelopment of Bell Hall represents an excellent opportunity to repurpose an extremely well-built building on a beautiful campus into urgently needed seniors’ and veteran’s apartments. We look forward to announcing details about our external funding partner in the coming months, but the work needs to start now. Thank you to my Council colleagues and municipal staff for their hard work and unwavering commitment to this ambitious project.”

The Bell Hall project is a key step in the Municipality’s broader housing strategy, reflecting North Grenville’s commitment to building a more inclusive, supportive, and sustainable community.

For more information and project updates, please visit the project page: www.northgrenville.ca/projects

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