Perhaps the most well-known Cove property is the one that sits at it's heart at the end of Duke St. This property has been home to various different industries over the years, the last of which was a paint factory. About 30 hectares of the property was used as a fruit orchard.
Today, the former paint factory buildings have been torn down and all that remains is an old house and the abandoned orchard. After years sitting vacant, nature has begun to reclaim the orchard and many wild trees, plants and animals are now found there.
The property is now owned by Valspar Corporation - a paint and coatings manufacturer -who took over the property when they bought out a rival company - Lilly Industries.
The properties industrial history is behind it now as such a use would no longer be approved for the site which is surrounded by low-density residences and is at the heart of the Coves Environmentally Significant Area.
The entire property is floodplain and sits in a special policy area with strict restrictions on new development which has left a short line of interested buyers.
A Brantford firm, King & Benton, recently proposed development of a low-rise residential complex on an 8-hectare portion of the property which formerly contained buildings. Steve Charest, President of King and Benton, spoke of being eager to work with the community and of hopes that the orchard land could be redeveloped by the city into a recreational or park-like environment if turned over to municipal authorites. King & Benton have been unable to gain approvals from local authorities to support their redevelopment plans.
Valspar Property Outlined.pdf