Owen Sound council has given the thumbs up to a zoning change for a proposed hotel in Owen Sound’s east side.
Council unanimously passed a zoning by-law amendment at its meeting Monday for a property at 1750 16th Avenue East, where a developer — 16 Avenue OS Inc. — is planning a 120-room, six-storey Hampton Inn hotel.
The property where the hotel is proposed is just east of Heritage Place Mall.
Coun. Brock Hamley says this development would help address a “very real shortage of hotels in Owen Sound.”
“Just try to book a hotel for major events like the Salmon Spectacular, Summerfolk, and even all of our sports tournaments,” Hamley says. “It’s not easy. And it’s not cheap. But, when you step back that isn’t really surprising, considering (a new hotel) hasn’t been built in Owen Sound for over 35 years.”
“It’s pretty easy to dismiss this as just a hotel,” Hamley continues. “It’s kind of about what the hotel says. Hotels don’t just show up. These companies do incredible levels of analysis before deciding where to invest and build. A project like this signals confidence in Owen Sound as a place to invest and do business, not just today, but tomorrow and beyond.”
Coun. Marion Koepke was pleased with the location the developer chose to build this hotel, because of it’s proximity to numerous large senior complexes. The 160-bed Southbridge Owen Sound long-term care home and Seasons Owen Sound retirement community — which offers more than 100 suites — are located just south of the proposed hotel, across an intersection, on 16th Avenue East.
“This certainly would be encouragement for families to come and visit and be able to stay over,” Koepke says. “It’s certainly a great project and happy to see this.”
While the zoning bylaw amendment has been approved, the developer still needs to complete the site plan approval process and then obtain a building permit before construction could begin.
A source tells Bayshore Broadcasting News the developer is hopeful to break ground on the hotel project by mid-summer 2025.
