The council in Saint Andrews has decided to allow the visitor information centre (VIC) to operate in the courthouse for this summer season amid the transfer of the building to the Saint Andrews Civic Trust (SACT).
On May 4, the council received a presentation from Ken Beaubien.
The VIC was moved from the W.C. O’Neill Arena Complex to make room for an expansion of the Wellness Centre and to rehome the Charlotte County Seniors Resource Centre.
Some residents have expressed concerns over the relocation, citing heavy traffic and congestion in a largely residential area.
“We did an extensive consultation process leading into the proposals,” Beaubien said. “We took ideas from the community and assembled it into an idea, which included the visitor information centre.”
Beaubien said there was in-person, online and event consultations throughout a 12-month period.
“The ideas were all voted on by the community,” he said. “These weren’t ideas that the Civic Trust put together, these were ideas that were created by the community and then packaged by the Civic Trust.”
He said the organization, which is a charity, looked at viability — including access to Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) grants.
“If you start considering options and then cutting parts of it, it does impact the entirety of the vision and the business planning and the access to the grants and funds that made it a more sustainable model,” he said.
Beaubien said SACT believed it was at the point of negotiating the transfer agreement, so the vision was agreed upon by both parties.
In August 2025, the negotiation process was voted on by council to move forward. He said that was the point where the organization believed it would begin discussion of the transition conditions and requirements.
“But when we start discussing about reconsulting on aspects of the project that would impact the entire business model, you are risking the whole project,” he said. “From the Civic Trust’s point-of-view, we wouldn’t be supporting more consultation.
“We would not be investing more time in consultations and depending on what the outcome of those consultations are, it does potentially change the whole business model. If it does come back and it says we don’t want this there, we don’t want that … then we [have] to revisit it.”
Beaubien told the council changes would impact the transfer agreement and the business model.
He also said the courthouse is zoned institutional and already allows for parking. The council did not approve a tender to create a parking area on the Parr Street side of the building due to a high tender quote.
It did approve an accessibility ramp in the same area for $2,000.
Council discussion
Council discussed the concerns of residents and the potential transfer.
Coun. Darrell Weare said regardless of what the zoning is, the council has a responsibility to the residents to keep them informed about what is happening in their area.
“I think we have to be proactive in advising them,” he said.
Others also supported the idea of further consultation. Coun. Annette Harland said more information became available in the last several weeks.
She said she had the impression that more consultation would take place during the transfer process and as the vision became more specific.
“I understood that there definitely would be more consultation,” she said.
Harland spoke to the criticism council has faced over the last year around transparency and accountability.
“We have talked about the fact that we have tried to ensure that we consult and there is information made available to our constituents,” she said. “I also recognize, very clearly, that we are under [the] gun in terms of the time frame.
“And while I do not want to jeopardize the transfer of the courthouse to the Civic Trust, I think that is critical.”
The council has expressed concerns over costs to keep the courthouse under their ownership. It received a quote to remove lead paint on the exterior of the building for $300,000.
In the 2026 budget, the total cost for the courthouse is $33,213 — without the $25,000 it was receiving from the provincial government — which was financial support that expired last year.
Those costs are expected to continue to rise in the following years.
Coun. Kurt Gumushel has said on the record several times he believes the town assuming ownership of the courthouse was a mistake.
He said getting the VIC into the hands of Explore Saint Andrews — who he explained are better equipped to handle it — has been a decade-long process.
“I’m a bit disappointed, I guess, or a bit resentful to be in this position at this late date,” he said. “I feel like people taking over the courthouse, the Civic Trust, and the neighbours, everybody had a responsibility to talk a little bit more.”
Gumushel did note the 12-month consultation process undertaken by the SACT. Former president James Geneau presented to the council its 120-page plan in February 2025.
He said he couldn’t vote to jeopardize the time volunteers have put in nor the transfer to the SACT.
Coun. Lee Heenan said he never thought the VIC should go to the courthouse, but said if the transfer had already taken place, the council would not be discussing the issue.
Many councillors said the VIC was always part of the SACT’s plan and the organization had done extensive consultation with residents.
Outgoing Coun. Mark Bennett said he did hope that town staff and the bylaw officer would ensure that rules are being followed to mitigate concerns raised by nearby residents.
Keeping things sustainable
SACT president Barbie Smith said the plan needs to keep the cost of operating the building sustainable.
“We have different uses for all rooms and we’re hoping it’s for a community use, but you’ll have to pay a little bit,” Smith said, speaking to The Courier.
She said the plan is based around the businesses that will be using and enhancing the courthouse space, and she said if they’re not allowed to follow through with their plan, it does not work.
As for the transfer, Smith said these things take time. She said the SACT did ask for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to allow for the new council to settle in.
“I think we both would have liked to have it happen earlier, but the fact that we are taking the time to dot the I’s and cross the T’s … and make sure that everything is as it should be before we move forward, that’s not surprising,” she said.
Smith said she wished the residents had brought their concerns forward to Explore Saint Andrews — noting she thinks ESA would have been able to reassure residents about the operation of the VIC.
She said she does not foresee buses parking in or around the courthouse — and said parking limits may be established.
These are all things, Smith explained, that Explore Saint Andrews will work to address. This is the first year Explore Saint Andrews will fully take over the VIC. Previously, it was operated by the Saint Andrews Chamber of Commerce. Clerk Chris MacKinnon said in response to question that Explore Saint Andrews is also not obligated to continue the VIC if it is not viable.
“If it becomes something that is not viable, it can be closed down at any time,” MacKinnon said.
“We [need to] get the building used by different groups, so then we can start accessing those various grants … we have to stabilize the building,” she said.
The Courier did reach out to Explore Saint Andrews and is awaiting a response.
