From the “Woulda-Shoulda-Coulda” department. The historic Dalby house was sold recently to a real estate developer set on remodeling (a great idea) and turning it into a medical office (a not so good idea).
When we moved to Elora last fall we were psyched to have what we though a cool local bar to stumble to on occasion. Of course, on our first attempt to stumble to it we were pretty underwhelmed by the stench and shocking lack of ambiance of the place. A 143 year old building that looks like the “Times Square of Elora” (hold you snicker) should be a focal point of the downtown core not the blight that it has become.
I gave some serious consideration to offering to buy the place and turning it around. I walked the building, spoke to some of the tenants and schemed for several nights on if an upscale brew pub might work there, with function rooms and more community connection then the current format. I think less small town hotel and more gentrified might have worked.
I figured it would go for the high 6 figures and the repairs would be steep too – especially to bring it back to what it could be. Given those numbers I sat on the idea, not knowing if it warranted a $1M investment to go into the drunk-fight-refereeing business. $525 is a decent price, I think.
The Guelph Mercury has some coverage of the sale and future plans.
Aparently its going to become…wait for it: a medical practice. Crap. I love the idea that somebody is taking it on to clean the place up, restore it – the town will be better for that. But for me a medical practice office is a place you drive to. It has no soul. It does not belong at the nexxus of a community like Elora. Elora is quirky and vibrant and hip. In any other storefront I think a medical practice would be fine but there is so much potential for this location I’m saddened – mostly on my own lack pulling the trigger.
…Elora has a recent history of doing stupid things that seem to not benefit anyone. That footbridge issue was hilarious… putting a fence around the conversation area so people can’t go for a walk from the core, equally dumb. That isn’t to say I wouldn’t like to find a place out that way… but I think I would spend a lot time being annoyed if I tried to participate in the community.
You got that right! Luckily for me I have an innate ability to be more annoying than others! I noticed the foot bridge fence thing. That’s definitely on the list.
Jim,
So right you are. It’s just a shame that I read this just now.
Add to the list of stupid things from Jesse, the Slots Casino at the edge of town which is so incompatible with the historical and artistic flavour of the rest of the village.
Had I known you were interested, I know there were others in town, so maybe a grassroots syndicate could have been mounted to re-launch a cool wine bar or brew pub at the Dalby.
Keep that in mind for the next local icon that needs saving …
Randall
Randall: re the Elora Slots, they may be incompatable with your verson of artistic & historic flavour but after all the hub bub of getting into Elora – It seems to me the millions of dollars revinue it contributes to building & replacing out local bridges compensates for the above loss as you see it.
Those of us who have lived in this area all our lives are saddened by the neglect of so many local bridges & are pleased with the revenue from the slots that is contributing to the rebuilding of the bridges.