Saying it was too good of an opportunity to invest and grow in downtown Chatham, the majority of Chatham-Kent council agreed to move the process of moving the current civic centre—as well as the Chatham library and museum—into the Downtown Chatham Centre.
A report from administration steered council to considering either renovating the current Civic Centre, which houses administrative workers and council chambers, or pursuing the purchase of a portion of the mall for the civic centre, museum and library.
In the end, the opportunity to move ahead and build better and larger facilities was seen as too much of a positive opportunity for council to turn down.
With an 11-5 vote, council voted to move towards making plans to move to the mall.
The idea of moving the Civic Centre, library and museum into the Downtown Chatham Centre has been on the drawing board for almost three years.
One of the owners of the former downtown mall—Rob Myers, spoke to council prior to making the decision. He urged council to make a decision in an attempt to revitalize and bring life into Chatham’s downtown.
“I am not looking to profit, I’m looking to revitalize downtown Chatham.”
Myers said any profit he makes he will give back to the museum.
The mall is currently mostly empty, with the second floor vacant and the lower level having a few stores, but has a large part unoccupied after the Sears department store closing almost a decade ago.
Moving forward a detailed design will be required, with Mayor Darrin Canniff saying that the mall will offer the opportunity to be a blank slate for the municipal properties.
According to administration’s report, it will cost an estimated $53 million to construct a new city hall, museum and library in the downtown mall.
Chatham councillor Marjorie Crew said by moving something positive to the downtown area will make it safe, vital and vibrant.
“We need to invest in our people, the people who work for Chatham-Kent deserve to work in a beautiful place,” Crew said.
Councillor Michael Bondy said it’s a great opportunity to try and help downtown.
“I think this is an opportunity to save our downtown,” Bondy said, noting it’s an opportunity that won’t come back if they turn it down.
Canniff said moving municipal buildings into the mall is a chance, for a price tag of just $6 million, to build a new library and museum.
Canniff said the municipality could potentially use the sale proceeds of the existing library and Civic Centre to help Chatham-Kent recoup some of its costs. Canniff said he’s positive both buildings would likely become housing if sold to private investors.
As per the recommendations passed by council, administration will report back with an action plan and funding source to address various concerns with the condition for the current Civic Centre.
