Former Ridgeway high school site set for redevelopment, facade to stay

The site of the former Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School is moving ahead with demolition and redevelopment while keeping part of the original facade.

The site on 576 Ridge Road currently calls for 36 single-detached homes and 28 semi-detached homes, for a total of 64 units. It marks another step in the Ridgeway-Thunder Bay Secondary Plan, which is expected to bring 975 new units to the area.

Changes to the site plan have been driven in part by stormwater requirements. A new management pond will be built on the property, shifting earlier layouts that once contemplated as many as 90 units rather than 64.

“The stormwater management pond needed to be moved and expanded on the property, because it’s taking up so much space,” said Kim Smith, community planner with the town.

In a statement to Fort Erie Radio, Smith added that the developer now “has to redesign the entire redevelopment.”

Smith said the developer has obtained both a demolition and a heritage permit to retain the school’s original facade, built in 1927, which will eventually be integrated into the redevelopment.

Most of the later additions to the high school will be demolished in stages.

“Whatever the profit is that they make off of the demolition will be put back into restoring the facade,” said Smith.

The stormwater pond will now force the demolition of an additional building on the north side of the high school once slated for preservation alongside the facade.

Devon Morton, the town’s supervisor of development approvals, told Fort Erie Radio the subdivision process is still underway despite delays caused by the stormwater pond expansion.

“What they have to do is satisfy all the conditions related to the plan of subdivision,” said Morton.

No timeline for construction has been confirmed.

Town staff said more updates will follow as subdivision conditions are cleared and agreements are registered.

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