Chatham-Kent takes next step in putting civic centre, library and museum into downtown mall - Action News
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Chatham-Kent takes next step in putting civic centre, library and museum into downtown mall

The project would combine municipal offices, along with a library and museum in the former Sears store at the Downtown Chatham Centre shopping mall. Current estimates put the price tag around $53 million.

'Community hub is expected to cost around $53 million

Outside street view rendering of one corner of the community hub proposed in Chatham-Kent.
Outside street view rendering of one corner of the community hub proposed in Chatham-Kent. (Architecttura/Municipality of Chatham-Kent)

Chatham-Kent council has said yes to moving ahead with the next step in creating a "community hub" in the city.

The project would combine municipal offices, along with a library and museum in the former Sears store at the Downtown Chatham Centre shopping mall. Current estimates put the price tag for the project at around $53 million.

The mall was an attraction in its own rightwhen it opened in the 1980s. Four decades later only a handful of stores are still open and the municipality is hoping a facelift and added services will increase foot traffic.

"The library brings in 13,000 people a month," said Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff. "The civic centre actually brings 7,000 a month. So that's 20,000 people a month you're going to have going downtown. It's going to be huge things for the whole downtown."

A street view rendering of the proposed Chatham-Kent hub. It would see the civic centre, museum and library move into the Sears located in the Downtown Chatham Centre mall.
A street view rendering of the proposed Chatham-Kent hub. It would see the civic centre, museum and library move into the Sears located in the Downtown Chatham Centre mall. (Architecttura/Municipality of Chatham-Kent)

At Monday night's council meeting, administration was also asked to provide more concrete high-level cost estimates for an alternative option of upgrading the current civic centre, library and museum instead.

"When you look at fixing up the civic centre, it adds absolutely zero value to the taxpayer," Canniff previously told CBC News.

LISTEN | CK mayor talks about community hub ahead of council meeting:

"We can tell them that they've got a nicer council chambers and nicer service desk. It doesn't have value, whereas we can build a museum and a library for basically the same price."

Canniff says he expects the project will be put out for qualifying tenders in a few months and from there a decision will be made.

"That's what we're ultimately going to decide. We need to see what it's going to cost. If it comes back at $67 million, not going to do it. If it comes within budget, we're going to do it."

Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff says anyone looking to open an adult entertainment parlour can still petition council for a license.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff says he supports the community hub as long as it stays within original estimated cost projections. (Dale Molnar/CBC)

According to Canniff, the current museum, library and civic centre have accessibility issues and lack space.

"There's deficiencies in accessibility in all the buildings. It's a great opportunity to step up that way."

And the mayor says the municipality has saved the necessary money to pay for the project.

"We've recognized over the years we have to do this. Whether we fix up the current civic centre or we move into this new project, we've got the money in the bank to pay for it. We will not be raising taxes for the capital aspect of this."

Rendering of a proposed new museum as part of the community hub proposal in Chatham-Kent.
Rendering of a proposed new museum as part of the community hub proposal in Chatham-Kent. (Architecttura/Municipality of Chatham-Kent)

Canniff says while he's excited about the possibility of giving the downtown a major facelift he's also not fully supportive until the numbers are firmed up.

"If the cost came back way too high, I wouldn't support it."

Project opposition includes rural population

Karen Pynenbrouck lives in southern Chatham-Kent between the communities of Blenheim and Ridgetown.

She's opposed to the project and was a delegate at Chatham-Kent council advocating for money to be used on things like infrastructure instead.

Pynenbrouck says she's a "little disappointed" by the decision to move on to the next stage of the process regarding the project and that councillors seemed to have their minds made up before the meeting began.

"When you drive on the roads, they all need to be redone," she said.

"I just think that we could be spending our dollars better. Let's spend it where everyone can use it. Which are the roads. Which are the water treatment centres. I don't think combining everything into a hub is as important, to as many people."

According to Pynenbrouck, she's heard a lot of misinformation surrounding the hub project and she believes it's partly to do with people not hearing directly from the municipality.

Street view rendering of the outside of a proposed library in the Chatham-Kent hub in downtown Chatham.
Street view rendering of the outside of a proposed library in the Chatham-Kent hub in downtown Chatham. (Architecttura/Municipality of Chatham-Kent)

"The outlying areas haven't been told hardly anything about this project. They need to inform everyone. Not everyone has social media. Not everyone watches the council meetings," she said.

"Councillors should be out there doing town halls informing their constituents of what's going on."