As the demolition date for the expropriated buildings on the south side of Colborne Street approaches, neither side of the argument over the future of the 41 buildings is backing down. 

The Brantford city council committee overseeing the expropriation and demolition of the buildings met Thursday afternoon to discuss when the demolition would start and to confirm public meetings in late February to seek input on what should replace the structures.

The other side met hours later on Thursday evening, at the Brantford Arts Block, as 50 people who oppose the demolition came together to discuss any avenues that might still exist to give the buildings a stay of execution.

The meeting at the Brantford Arts Block was organized by some of the members of an online Facebook group called “Save the South Side of Colborne Street.”

The discussion over preserving the heritage aspects of the downtown gave way to a debate about ways to sway any of the six city council members who have strongly been in support of demolition.

“It’s a 6-5 vote at council right now,” Coun. Dan McCreary told the crowd. “Unfortunately, it’s six in favour of demolition, but we only need one to reverse it.”

A plan was hatched at the end of the meeting to send as many delegations to the city council meeting on Monday night.

“Let’s get 50 or 60 people registered to speak to council about this,” resident Mary O’Grady said, as the crowd left the meeting.

On council’s agenda Monday night is a motion by McCreary that, if passed, would require the agreement with the federal government for the $1.38 million for demolition to come to council for approval, as well as any other agreements that deal with demolition.

“This is important enough to be worthy of a debate,” McCreary said. “Right now, senior staff has carte blanche to proceed with demolition.”

The other angle being explored by the anti-demolition group is a way to take the March 31 deadline off the federal grant.

“MP Wayne Marsden and I are drafting a letter on behalf of the federal NDP to try and get the deadline lifted,” Brant federal NDP candidate Marc Laferriere announced. “If we can get that excuse off the table, maybe we can buy more time to discuss things.”

The meeting at the Arts Block also brought out some ghosts of Brantford’s political past who are opposed to the demolition.

Former councillors John Starkey and Mike Quattrociocchi, as well as former mayor Chris Friel all spoke against the current council’s plan.

“There are lies being told about the cost,” Quattrociocchi said. “There is no way the costs for demolition are accurate and, the new council after October will be forced to pass on the extra cost to the taxpayer.”

Friel said he loves the buildings and is harshly against their demolition.

“This is a terrible plan and it’s unnecessary,” Friel said. “This is for one individual’s ego and political greed and it’s time someone called him out on it.”

Mayor Mike Hancock disputes any suggestion that the process is being driven by Coun. Mark Littell.

“To suggest that this is being driven by one person’s ego is not right,” Hancock said. “In 2006, this council met to set our priorities and everyone chose the south side as our pre-eminent goal. It wasn’t just me and it wasn’t just Littell. It was all of us.”

From what he has heard about the gathering at the Arts Block, Hancock is concerned about what citizens are being told.

“My suggestion is that the truth took a holiday for that meeting,” Hancock said.

Meantime, the south side of Colborne Street task force confirmed the awarding of the demolition contract to a Stoney Creek company which will bring down the south side at a cost of $1.24 million.

The task force also decided to hire Urban Strategies Inc. to moderate the community consultation on Feb. 24.

Urban Strategies is the same consultant that drew up Brantford’s downtown master plan in 2007. The master plan recommended the revitalization of Colborne Street as a key step in renewing the core.

The task force was also informed that the demolition would start in two weeks.

As far as the financial concerns for the expropriation, city solicitor Larry Tansley told Brant News everything is on track.

“We have a budget of $11.5 million and we are at $9.5 million,” Tansley said. “We have dealt with the more difficult business loss claims and we are paying everyone what our experts said are the full price of their properties.”

However, Tansley was quick to point out the unpredictable nature of expropriation.

“People are possibly going to bring their own experts to challenge our experts, so there are still question marks,” he said. “Everything we’ve seen says we are in the ballpark, but I can’t promise someone won’t come and hit the ball out of the park.”