Ambassador Bridge company buys old J.L. Forster High School

The owner of the Ambassador Bridge has purchased two more properties in Windsor's west end, including the former J.L. Forster High School.

Officials at the Canadian Transit Company said the school's sports field will be used for the proposed bridge expansion, while the school building on Felix Avenue will be available to community organizations in need of space.

"We really have no need for the school itself," said Stan Korosec, director of security with the Canadian Transit Company. "The sports field that's part of the property is what we're interested in for our future expansion of the plaza and some parking and [to] provide a buffer zone between our plaza and the community."

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The company also bought a second property on Felix Avenue that was formerly the site of BFI waste management. This location will house the bridge company's maintenance equipment, said Korosec.

"We really don't have a good place on the Canadian side for our crews working on our Canadian properties," he told CBC News.

Ward 2 councilorJohn Elliott supports the sale of landto the bridge company, solong as itrevamps theproperties it buys. The city is locked in an ongoing legalbattle with the company over several blighted properties near the bridge.

"To have a company come along and make the building viable, I can't be mad at that," Elliott told CBC News. "If it's going to bring those buildings back to life in the community, I'm all for it."

Korosec has already given several community organizations tours of the old Forster high school, but he wouldn't provide any details about which groups are interested.