EDITORS NOTE: This article originally appeared on Oakville News on Aug. 20.
After years of sitting vacant, the second floor of the Bronte Harbour Banquet and Conference Centre will soon be revitalized into an event space, adding a new venue for special events and weddings in Oakville’s waterfront community.
Council has authorized town staff to negotiate a lease deal with Catch Hospitality Group, the operators behind local favourites like the Bronte Boathouse and Duckies Ice Cream Shop.
The new venue is expected to be used mainly for weddings, community meetings, corporate functions, and cultural events.
This transformation of the previously unused space is seen as a significant win for Bronte, both in terms of economic development and the area’s appeal as a waterfront destination.
"When the event space was last in use, we saw weddings, community meeting spaces, West End Jazz concerts just to name a few," said Ward 1 Councillor Sean O'Meara.
"I would anticipate these types of events and many more to come back to the Bronte Harbour area supporting the diverse needs of the community with regards to event space and meeting needs that we currently do not have," he continued.
The agreement with Catch Hospitality Group is structured similarly to the successful lease of the first-floor space, which is currently used by Halton Police, Visit Oakville, Town harbour staff and Catch Hospitality Group operating the seasonal Bronte Boathouse and Duckies Ice Cream Shop.
The new event space on the second floor of the Conference Centre will provide year-round hospitality services. Financially, the project costs will be covered by the town's capital reserve, with various town departments coordinating its implementation.
While financial specifics remain confidential, O'Meara confirmed that the new arrangement is a "revenue generator" for the town, and it includes necessary upgrades to the building's infrastructure.
President of the Bronte Village Residents Association, Harry Shea, suggested that the revenue generated from this lease be used to create a Bronte reserve fund, supporting ongoing and future improvements in the area.
Said Ward 1 Councillor Jonathan McNeice, "It will be great to get more utilization out of this prime waterfront building that has been mostly vacant for far too long. And in a proven manner that minimizes the risk to the town."
McNeice also pointed to the fact that this improvement is coming alongside future projects which include enhancements to Bronte’s beach this fall and renovations to the Metro Marine heritage building next year.