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•Th e IF P• H al to n H ill s • Th ur sd ay , O ct ob er 3 0, 2 01 4 8 SERVING YOU IN HALTON HILLS Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott schedules meetings with constituents in Georgetown on a regular basis at the Halton Hills Public Library, 9 Church St. To arrange a meeting, please call the Wellington- Halton Hills Provincial Riding Office at 1-800-265-2366. Ted ArnoTT,MPP WellingTon-HAlTon Hills www.tedarnottmpp.com 265 Guelph St, GeorGetown 905-873-2753 open 7 daySaweek Makekeke dinner reservations home... eserv homehomeat Habitat for Humanity Halton has purchased the former Exchange Hotel property in Georgetown and plans to build four or five homes there. Construction is set to begin on the houses-- which may be townhomes -- in 2017. Habitat for Humanity Halton's Board Chair and local resident Hugh Hyndman said they don't plan to de- molish the King St. hotel, which is to remain on the property, but the new homes will not be situated in that building. He said it's unknown yet if the Ex- change Hotel will stay where it is, or be moved elsewhere on the lot and will depend on the plans that are developed for the property. "We really wanted to save the hotel," said Hyndman. He said Habitat hopes to be able to work with other groups to see if the ho- tel can eventually be restored. "Some people have approached us already and are interested in talking," Hyndman said. "We're very excited to get started," said Hyndman. "We're very grateful that with the help of Mayor Rick Bon- nette and councillors Moya Johnson and Jon Hurst, we will have the oppor- tunity to provide four to five families with a safe and affordable place to live. The Mayor and councillors have been an integral part of selecting this prop- erty, and we would like to thank them for their support and guidance as we attempt to restore and repurpose this local landmark to help end the cycle of poverty in our community." The Exchange Hotel was the center of life in early Georgetown, providing a place for guests and residents to tie up their horses and get a hardy meal. Built in the mid 1850's and opened in 1855, the original structure of the hotel has undergone several renovations and ad- ditions throughout the years, including the picturesque front veranda. Origi- nally owned by Georgetown founder George Kennedy, whose daughter mar- ried the first innkeeper, the building has sat vacant for several years. "This is exciting news for the Town," said Bonnette. "We have brought to- gether two organizations, Habitat for Humanity and Mattamy Homes, that care about heritage and the health and well-being of our community. Togeth- er they will bring new life to the Ex- change Hotel." This will be the fifth build project in Georgetown since Habitat Halton's founding in 1999, with the fourth build being completed in 2008. The ability of Habitat Halton, its donors and partners to save the cur- rent building and re-utilize it for hous- ing will be determined by a number of factors, including cost and structural integrity, said a Habitat for Humanity Halton spokesperson. "Community support from volun- teers and donors is critical to the un- dertaking, with several potential chal- lenges to overcome in order to make the dream of safe and affordable hous- ing a reality," said the spokesperson. To learn more about joining the Habitat Halton's volunteer team or be- coming a donor or sponsor, visit www. habitathalton.ca. Anyone interested in owning one of the homes should also visit the website or call 905-637-4446. Habitat for Humanity buys Exchange Hotel land for homes By LISA TALLYN Staff Writer The Exchange Hotel on King St.