Jail on block for just $1, but city stays on sidelines — at least for time being
Windsor’s historic jail has been put up for sale for a loonie by Infrastructure Ontario, while questions remain whether there will be city involvement going forward in reuse of the property.
“We did do a report and it went in-camera to council, so I can’t speak to it, unfortunately,” said Onorio Colucci, the city’s CAO. “I have no other comment. It’s related to a purchase of property, so it’s in camera and that’s all I can say. I can’t get into further details.” The jail, which first opened in the west end at 378 Brock St. in 1925, was shut down in 2014 following the opening of the South West Detention Centre. The property has since sat vacant. Infrastructure Ontario previously agreed to sell the property to the city for $1, but it requires massive cleanup and renovations with some estimates of at least $2 million just for cleanup. The city and Mayor Drew Dilkens have provided opportunities for community feedback on what should be done with the jail property if the city took control for a dollar as offered.
Ideas that were pitched included a museum, hotel, grocery store, restaurant and entrepreneurial hub. But for now — given that the property is listed under the Multiple Listing Service — it appears the city will remain on the sidelines and watch to see if anyone in the private sector steps forward to buy the jail property.
The property being offered not only includes the former jail, but also the ornate former administration building — known as the registry building — and the Mackenzie Hall parking lot.
The jail property is only registered historically by the city as part of its Sandwich Heritage District, said Kristina Tang, the city ’s acting heritage planner. It is part of the city ’s heritage register, but not designated as an individual heritage property, she said.
There were attempts by the city to acquire just the registry building and parking lot, but the province has refused and elected to keep everything combined under the sale. The property is being sold “As Is” by Infrastructure Ontario.
“It is surplus to the needs of the government to deliver programs and is set for disposition,” said Ian McConachie, spokesman for the ministry on the timing of the sale. Infrastructure Ontario plans to accept offers only for 30 days, then “will review the offers once the 30-day period closes and make a recommendation at that time, he continued.
The current council dealt with the issue in-camera on Oct. 1 but the result of that meeting has not been made public.
The current council became lame duck after the Oct. 22 election because less than 75 per cent were re-elected.
As a result, the current council, among other restrictions, can’t approve an expenditure or incur a liability of more than $50,000 if that expenditure isn’t budgeted for. The current council meets twice in November before the new council is sworn in on Dec. 3.
The local real estate agents involved are Brook Handysides and Brad Collins of CBRE Limited. News of the jail being listed for sale caught many in the community by surprise.
“This neighbourhood is trying to stand on its own and then something like this happens again and you just get frustrated through and through,” said longtime resident and community activist Terry Kennedy.
He has pushed for the site to be converted for a shared museum that would feature the community’s vast heritage of French, First Nations, African-Canadians and others.
“The neighbourhood has been looking forward to something happening with the property that provides an economy for stability,” Kennedy said. Sandwich bake shop owner Mary Ann Cuderman said the city has not taken any initiative to ensure something noteworthy happen with the jail property, especially with the decorative registry building.
“I’m very concerned (the property is for sale),” she said. “This is a bad sign to us and could really go the wrong way. We really need to keep the registry office, and the parking lot is very important to Mackenzie Hall.
“The mayor or city has never spoken to us about any of this. They view it as a liability, I’m sure.” Local MPP Lisa Gretzky (NDP — Windsor West) was taken aback on Tuesday to learn the jail was listed for sale on MLS with no prior community consultation, calling it a “slap in the face” to the people in Sandwich.
“Given the significant historical value of the facility, they should have consulted with the community and said, ‘This is what we are considering do,’ ” she said. “There are real concerns for people in Windsor and especially Sandwich on what is going to happen with the building.”
Gretzky is further upset given that she asked a direct question by letter in August to the infrastructure minister and again in the legislature about the jail’s fate and her only response was she was addressing questions to the wrong ministry.
“It was not their responsibility, yet now Infrastructure Ontario has put the building up for sale,” she said. “The government is not being honest with their intentions.”
The mayor or city has never spoken to us about any of this. They view it as a liability, I’m sure.