BRUCE COUNTY – On May 13, 2022, Justice Gordon D. Lemon of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice determined that Bruce County will pay Laura Robinson and the Southampton Cultural Heritage Conservancy a fixed amount of $140,000 for legal costs. This is a result of the Jan. 31, 2022 ruling that Bruce County breached the restricted purpose of the charitable Bruce A. Krug Estate trust.
“We (Bruce County council) accept His Honour’s decision on legal cost payment related to the decision made on the County’s purchase of 254 High St.. We continue to work towards a resolution with the Public Guardian and Trustee, and Estate Trustee, in this litigation,” said Bruce County Warden Janice Jackson. “The last will and testament of Bruce A. Krug bequeathed $500,000 for the storage and display of archives. In 2018, we purchased adjacent property to expand the current archival services of the museum. Our goal has always been to realize the public interest on this property, for the public good. We look forward to engaging with the community to achieve this.”
On March 21, 2019, Bruce County received an Ontario Superior Court of Justice application from the solicitor representing Robinson and the Southampton Cultural Heritage Conservancy. The application included an injunction restraining Bruce County from continuing any demolition or removal activities at 254 High St. in Southampton, cancelling any demolition permits, and declaring that the county breached the restricted purpose of the charitable trust created by the estate gift from Bruce A Krug.
In response, Bruce County issued its own application to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to obtain opinion, advice, and direction to continue to move forward with the museum expansion.
The judge decided against the county.
