A hotel could break ground in Bradford West Gwillimbury by the end of this year.
Developers of a 95-room Hampton Inn and Suites and a standalone drive-thru restaurant want to move into town at the southwest corner of County Road 88 and Highway 400.
BWG council voted Tuesday to allow Mayor Rob Keffer and Clerk Rebecca Murphy to execute an agreement to defer development charges for the project.
“We have been asked for lodgings in town. Nobody stays in Bradford. Nobody spends any money in Bradford,” said Coun. Peter Ferragine. “These guys are ready to go. At the end of the day, we’re still getting the development charges back … just over time.”
Instead of deferring the development charges for 10 years, as requested by the developer, the town moved forward with a plan to collect them during a span of four years: no development charges in the first year, and the total split equally between the following three years.
The developer, who attended Tuesday’s BWG council meeting, said this development charge arrangement was acceptable.
“This is going to tell the others the town is willing to work. It’s open to business,” said Coun. Raj Sandhu.
Depending on weather, the hotel could be built in about one year, said Geoff McKnight, the town’s CAO.
“This conversation has been going on for a long time. The community has been asking for hotels, motels, something,” said Coun. Mark Contois. “Basically every sports team goes elsewhere and they spend their money elsewhere.”
Coun. Peter Dykie Jr. said a hotel would come in handy for any event happening in BWG, including sports events and weddings.
“This has been needed for the last 15, 20 years,” he said.
