County of Brant Provides Update on The Bawcutt Centre

At its meeting on June 23, 2026, County of Brant Council approved a plan to proceed with renovations to The Bawcutt Centre (formerly the Paris Old Town Hall), located at 13 Burwell Street in Paris.

The plan for The Bawcutt Centre involves a partnership with Wingbury Properties, drawing on its experience in the renovation and successful operation of the Wincey Mills (circa 1889) located in downtown Paris, to oversee the renovation project and seek commercial tenants for the building, which will remain County owned. Areas within the space will also be identified for County programming.

“I am very pleased to have a plan in place for the future of The Bawcutt Centre,” said County of Brant Mayor David Bailey. “This has been a long time coming, and I appreciate the dedication of staff and community partners who have worked to help preserve this important cultural landmark. The Bawcutt Centre has a rich history in our community, and I am excited to see it continue to serve residents for generations to come.”

The Bawcutt Centre was originally acquired by the County in late 2015, assisted by a $1 million donation by Skystone Media. Over the past decade three separate renovation plans have been considered and ultimately been unsuccessful due to various complications, including a lack of private capital funding and considerable cost increases since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Following the decision not to proceed with the combined County of Brant Central Library Branch and The Bawcutt Centre proposal in January 2025, the renovation plan for The Bawcutt Centre remained uncertain. With the responsibility of ownership, County Council and staff evaluated various opportunities over the past 18 months, including investigating the current market options and viability of renovations. In 2025, the County undertook an Expression of Interest process to seek a public-private partnership to facilitate renovations using private capital funding, with only one bid received requiring a significant contribution of public funding from the County. Ultimately, a partnership with Wingbury Properties that includes the renovation of the building, was recognized as the most viable option.

“We look forward to contributing to the revitalization of The Bawcutt Centre,” said Walter Koppelaar, President of Wingbury Properties. “This building is an important part of the community and a defining feature of the Paris landscape. We will take great care in working with the County to help restore this landmark to its full potential while balancing heritage preservation, community benefit and financial responsibility.”

An analysis of options presented to Council over the past several months included the County undertaking the renovation, which staff estimated would cost approximately $14.2 million, partnering with Wingbury Properties at an estimated cost of $9.5 million, or selling the building. Council ultimately determined that preserving the building through a partnership offered the best balance between heritage preservation and fiscal responsibility. This decision by Council also separates the funding portions for the new Central Library Branch and The Bawcutt Centre, allowing both projects to move forward. 

“Following considerable analysis and evaluation, consultation with The Bawcutt Centre Advisory Committee, and a cross-departmental approach to evaluate the future of The Bawcutt Centre, the plan to partner with Wingbury Properties provides the right outcome to renovate and finally secure a future for the building,” said Adam Crozier, General Manager of Strategic Initiatives. “Wingbury Properties has demonstrated its approach to sympathetic renovation of historic buildings in the County and has the private sector expertise to bring the building back to life with a mix of commercial and community use.”

About The Bawcutt Centre: 

Originally constructed in 1854 as the Town Hall for the newly incorporated Town of Paris, The Bawcutt Centre is a provincially designated heritage building, and is a National Historic Site. It is the oldest civic building in Canada, and a rare example of Neo-Gothic civic architecture.

The building has served many functions over its 172-year history. From 1854 until 1903 it served as the Town Hall, market, and still retains the original Town jail cells in the basement. Following the Town moving to the lower town, the building was converted to a factory as the Wheeler Needle Works, produced ammunition shells during the First World War, served as the headquarters of Mary Maxim, with its final use as the home of the Old Town Hall Auctions.

In 2015, the County received a donation from Linda Schuyler, a native Paris resident, about a donation to assist with the purchase and renovation of the Paris Old Town Hall after years of effort to promote the building by the Society for the Preservation of Paris Architectural Heritage (SPPAH). This $1 million donation was the catalyst to the County’s purchase of the building in late 2015, with $750,000 committed to the purchase, and $250,000 remaining to assist with the renovation plan of the building. In honour and recognition of the donation, the Paris Old Town Hall was renamed “The Bawcutt Centre” in honour of Linda’s parents, Jack, a former and the final Mayor of the Town of Paris, and Joyce Bawcutt. 

At a purchase price of $1.1 million, the County contributed the additional $350,000 towards the purchase, and in 2017, purchased the commercial property fronting Dumfries Street for an additional $400,000 investment.

Prior to Council’s decision, the various renovation plans that have been contemplated since the acquisition included a mixed-use commercial and community use space (2016-2019), municipal staff accommodations and a new Council Chambers (2019-2021), and lastly, as the new home for the Central Branch of the County of Brant Public Library (2021-2025). 

As the building will celebrate its 175^th year in 2029, moving forward with a solution after more than a decade of unrealized renovation plans will help to ensure that this National Historic Site can once again serve the community for years to come.

Additional information on The Bawcutt Centre will be shared in the near future.