A’burg mayor kick starts Duffy’s Tavern demolition
Clearing of site opens door for opportunities on A’burg waterfront
Amherstburg Mayor Aldo DiCarlo was like a kid in a sandbox Wednesday playing with his trucks at some imaginary construction site.
“It’s like a giant toy,” DiCarlo yelled from the cab of a hydraulic excavator while taking a few ceremonial chunks of concrete and roofing out of Duffy’s Tavern and Motor Inn.
Demolition day for the landmark buildings on the edge of Detroit River had arrived.
The entire Dalhousie Street property was fenced off as a crew from Amherstburg ’s Jones Group prepared to start clearing the twoacre site in earnest.
Owner Terry Jones looked at DiCarlo’s handiwork on one corner of the motel where a metal awning lay crumpled among some concrete and roofing material.
“He didn’t do a good job of separating,” Jones joked. “He needs some training.” The once-popular tavern closed in 2013 and the town purchased the property earlier this year.
“This to me is like a rebirth,” DiCarlo said. “Out with the old and in with the new. Not to diminish what Duffy’s meant, it was a landmark and it’s sad to see it go but all things considered, some things need to change.”
CAO John Miceli said the timetable for clearing and grading the site is 11 weeks, if not sooner, with the specific goal of having it ready to host events related to the Canuck It Up Festival Aug. 5-6.
“The whole demolition schedule was set up around that event,” Miceli said.
Miceli looked north down the sidewalk on Dalhousie, envisioning an expansive waterfront view.
“Once you open up the waterfront there’ll be a lot of development opportunities around here,” he said. “Look at the amount of frontage, you’ll be able to look down Gore Street and see this all wide open. It’s going to be amazing.”
Initial concept drawings for the space featured a marina, boat launch, fishing wharf and amphitheatre.
The public’s first opportunity to share its vision for the civic space comes on June 15.
A consultation session on both the Waterfront Property — as it’s referred to in town notices — and the Belle Vue House is slated for the Libro Centre on Meloche Road. Those wishing to discuss the waterfront property can meet with administration and project consultants from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Those wishing to discuss the Belle Vue House can do so from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
It was a landmark and it’s sad to see it go but all things considered, some things need to change.