With Laurentian University planning to list the Bell Mansion for sale, the Kingsmount-Bell Park CAN has put out a petition calling for continued public access to the historic Sudbury property.
The John Street building, which was occupied by the Art Gallery of Sudbury for many years, was the home of pioneering couple William and Katherine Bell (yes, those Bells, the ones who donated the land that now makes up Bell Park a century ago).
The Bell Mansion property, also known as Belrock, was officially transferred to Laurentian University in 1968 for a symbolic $1 to be used as a “public museum or cultural centre” for the people of Sudbury as a Centennial project.
The Bell Mansion has been closed since October 2023 due to repair issues, with Laurentian deciding in October 2024 that it would sell the property, as it was too expensive to repair.
The Art Gallery of Sudbury moved into temporary accommodations due to the situation, although it was legally required to vacate the Bell Mansion building by the end of this month anyway as part of a settlement reached during Laurentian’s insolvency.
The Kingsmount-Bell Park CAN’s petition is aimed at both Laurentian University and the City of Greater Sudbury.
It calls upon the university, “in keeping with the spirit of the original gift, to honour the heritage designation with conditions of sale, in particular keeping the grounds for public use.”
It also calls upon the City of Greater Sudbury “to use whatever means it possesses to ensure its preservation and place in the public realm for future generations.”
The group also wants a “collaborative process of public consultation to establish the Bell Mansion as a community-owned heritage and cultural centre.”
Paul Haynes, the Kingsmount-Bell Park CAN’s co-chair, said the group is “disappointed” the Bell Mansion is being sold by Laurentian, and that the public has had no say in the matter, as well as by the building’s poor physical condition.
But he said the city still has some sway because the Bell Mansion is a designated heritage site, meaning it’s regulated by a municipal bylaw that lists heritage elements and attributes of the property that are to be preserved, and is protected from demolition or incompatible alterations to significant heritage features.
Haynes said it’s also zoned “in such a way that if you can't put commercial or residential enterprises there,” he said. “There’s some teeth that the city has. What we’re trying to do is support them in making their decisions.”
He said the petition has gotten a lot of attention since it was released on May 25.
The group is basically “hoping to raise awareness of the fact that there is a situation with the Bell Mansion,” because he doesn’t think the public generally knows, and this is a way they can impact the dialogue.
Following the issuing of the petition, Sudbury.com reached out to Ward 10 Coun. Fern Cormier, in whose ward the Bell Mansion is located, as well as Mayor Paul Lefebvre’s office.
We have yet to hear back from Cormier, but the mayor’s office issued the following written statement that doesn’t directly address the concerns of the CAN.
“As mayor, I can certainly appreciate the community’s interest in the Bell Mansion property given its historical and cultural significance to Greater Sudbury,” said the statement.
“As the property is owned by Laurentian rather than the city, I cannot comment on the sale process itself, but I trust that Laurentian University is managing the process with careful consideration and with the best interests of the community in mind.
“The city remains committed to supporting the culture and history of our community, and we will continue to follow this process with interest.”
We also reached out to Laurentian University, which provided the following written statement, which also doesn't directly address the issues brought up in the petition.
"Laurentian University appreciates the community engagement and passion that exists for the Bell Mansion,” the statement reads.
“While the Bell Mansion holds significant historical value, the minimum costs required to repair it for occupancy far exceed what the university can responsibly invest. At this time, our resources must be focused on enhancing academic programs, student services and campus infrastructure."
Since it has been some time since Laurentian University made the decision to list the Bell Mansion property, Sudbury.com also inquired earlier this month as to where the university was at with the process.
The university told us in an early May statement that Sutton Benchmark Realty Inc. has been selected as the realtor for the Bell Mansion property, which was expected to be “listed shortly.”
But in an emailed update this week, the university said there’s “not yet a set listing date for the Bell Mansion” as “they are still working with the realtor on this.”
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.