The former John Uyen School in Birdland is under new ownership…again.
The local group that had purchased the property in August for $1.6 million divested themselves of it as of Dec. 21, selling to a London-area buyer, according to Darryl Clarke, one of the members of the local team that bought the Lark Street property in the summer.
Rob Myers, another member of the local group said it was a simple transaction.
“Someone came along and wanted to buy it. We sold it,” Rob Myers said. Don Tetrault and Jessica Myers were also part of the initial purchase team.
However, after having some grand ideas for the property, they thought it best, in the wake of neighbourhood backlash and rumours, to sell the property. A petition had circulated in the neighbourhood with the rumour the local investors had planned on turning the property into a homeless shelter.
The investors emphatically stated that was never in the plans.
“A homeless shelter wasn’t even discussed,” Clarke said.
“It was a good piece of real estate. We weren’t going to put in a homeless shelter,” Myers said.
“We investors got calls and dealt with negativity about the investment and we decided to sell,” Tetrault said.
Myers said things could have been much different had people simply asked the developers what they planned.
“They should have asked us first (before circulating the petition),” he said. “Take that school. Put in a day care. Have a gym. Have something for seniors. Build something cool.”
It is not known what the new owners’ plans are at this time.
