The new owner of the Banting Homestead property claims he didn't know the historical value of the land before he made an offer to buy it from the Ontario Historical Society.

Benny Marotta, owner of Solmar Development Corporation, made an offer to buy 100 acres of land just north of Alliston, for approximately $2 million. Marotta said he found out "just a few days ago" about New Tecumseth's plan to designate 70 of the 100 acres as heritage land.

Over the past year, New Tecumseth was working on a proposal to buy the from the OHS for $1 million.

With an ongoing deal in the works, the province even assigned a facilitator, Alan Wells, to assist in negotiations. The town planned to sever the land and sell 30 acres to Mattamy Homes for $1 million. The remaining 70 acres would have been designated as heritage property, and turned over to the Sir Frederick Banting Legacy Foundation, which wanted to create a camp for diabetic youth to honour Sir Frederick Banting.

Mayor Mike MacEachern has said the town plans to continue with its heritage designation, regardless of who owns the property.

"I did not know there were all these implications with the town. It was purchased four or five months ago," said Marotta. "There seems to be all this chaos now that it's come out that it's sold."

The land just north of Alliston is where Sir Frederick Banting grew up. Banting co-discovered insulin and the property includes an old home and an octogonal barn, one of a few remaining in Canada.

Marotta, who has built in Tottenham and Beeton before, said he has no development plans for the Alliston property yet. Solmar itself has been in business for 25 years.

Marotta has called New Tecumseth Mayor Mike MacEachern because he wants to work with the town, but was waiting to hear back. Marotta said he won't demolish the buildings now that he knows about their historical significance.

Marotta said his sister died from diabetes and he is in full support of restoring the buildings.

His original agreement with the OHS had only four acres preserved, with development on the remaining 96.

"We discussed to leave four acres on the property and when the property closes, I will rebate the OHS with $100,000 to restore the buildings of their damage. I think it's good that it happens, I want to contribute to it."

Solmar built subdivisions in Tottenham and Beeton a decade ago, but its focus right now is on the Bellaria Residences, twin high-rise condominiums and park plan located in Vaughan, near Canada's Wonderland. The company itself has a head office in Concord, near the Vaughan Mills shopping centre.

"We also have more property in Alliston, on the west side of town. It's about 220 acres. So we want to work with the town, we don't want to create any friction for ourselves."

Marotta said the closing date for the property is happening very soon.

Both Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson and Simcoe-Grey MP Helena Guergis have slammed the OHS for selling the land to a private owner when the town was making a bid on the land.

"I'm damn mad and I know the Banting family is equally as upset by this complete betrayal by the McGuinty government and the Ontario Historical Society," said Wilson. "I think that my Private Member's Bill, the Frederick Banting Homestead Preservation Act, is needed now more than ever and it's high time for the McGuinty government to show whether they support Sir Frederick Banting."

Wilson said he didn't know why the Liberal government has abandoned his bill.

Guergis said the OHS's priorities are all wrong.

"A man's legacy is being completely disregarded. He changed millions of people's lives around the globe. I am quite frankly appalled at the actions of the OHS," said Guergis in a press release.

She believes the sale was a huge mistake.

Dr. Peter Banting, whose grandfather was Sir Frederick's cousin, said there is no other global claim to fame in Alliston and the OHS was being "avaricious and dishonest" in its decision.

"The town was bargaining with the OHS to make an offer in good faith. Apparently, the OHS thought it was agreeable but out of the blue, sent a fax saying it has accepted another offer," said Banting.

In a letter released Dec. 1, the OHS said it has spent considerable funds on the property over the last decade, including property maintenance, legal fees and other costs. "In this context, the New Tecumseth offer was less remunerative than another offer received by the OHS Foundation and also entailed a three-year deferred payment," wrote Chris Oslund, president.

"While the municipality has now initiated a heritage designation of some 70 acres of the property, the original offer was silent on the matter of conservation and protection of the homestead and its buildings, and meeting the costs involved. Indeed, this still remains an unanswered issue of some concern to the OHS and it would be most willing to discuss a heritage designation regarding the building precinct."

Oslund said the offer he accepted means repair work can start in the near future. The new offer also provided for ongoing maintenance of the buildings until it can be gifted to another organization. "For its part, the OHS Foundation has agreed to contribute up to a matching amount of money for the work of repairs and conservation."

But Banting said he's not sure the Legacy Foundation would want to look after only four acres. "You can't put a camp on a couple of acres," he said. Part of the Legacy Foundation's plan was to continue renting a portion of the land to a local potato farmer, to help generate money to pay for taxes on the land. "That's not there with four acres."

Banting said there's no need to build another Sir Frederick museum, because it would be duplicating the one in London, Ontario. The Banting House National Historic Site is where Banting lived and practised medicine from 1920-21, for eight months. Several rooms in Banting House have period furniture and accessories - the doctor's bedroom, his office and its adjoining apothecary. Another room recreates a temporary battlefield operating room similar to those in which Banting served during the First World War.