Province may abandon Grace site

If Grace Village developer Lou Vozza does not meet a June 10 deadline to start work on a new long-term care home in Windsor's west end, the province will pull the plug and move the project to another site, said Sandra Pupatello on Thursday.

The Windsor-West MPPspoke to CBC Newsat the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association conference at Casino Windsor.

Because Vozza owns the former Grace Hospital property, the project would have to move to another location in the Windsor-Essex region, though Pupatello did not say if that would definitely be in the city of Windsor.

"If they miss it, we have to move to another developer," Pupatello said. "The upshot is we're going to move very quickly to another developer with the experience in building these beds as quickly as possible. The down side is it won't be on the Grace site."

"I know that [Vozza is] trying to move mountains to make it happen and meet the Ministry of Health deadlines," she said.

Pupatello expressed concern and regretthat this could negatively impact all those in the west end who have been hoping to see the eyesore at University andCrawford Avenues resurrected.

Developer must submit paperwork by Friday

Vozza has until the end of the day on Friday to meet all the requirements the Ministry of Health has set out to move forward with the development.

The Windsor developerhas still not picked up his building permit.The city saidit cannot issue a permit until he submits more documents and pays fees of about $300,000.

Vozza has said that financial problems were the reason the 256-bed project had stalled. Vozza owes the city more than $1 million in property taxes.

Lee Anne Doyle, the city's Chief Building official, said Thursday her staff has invested significant resources and time reviewing Vozza's plans. She said she hasn't heard from him in several weeks.

"It would be for us, you know, unfortunate if it obviously didn't proceed," Doyle said.

Residents have lost hope

Ron Jones, City Councillor for Ward 2 and long time critic of the constant delays,felt badly for the neighbours who have been complaining about the state of the property over the last three years.

"They've lived with this for so long and it's just not right," Jones said.

The councillor said if the deal falls through, the city should look at expanding the Huron Lodge long-term care home.

In the meantime, neighbours have given up hope that anything will be done about the less-than-exemplary neighbourhood landmark.

"I've been here too long to sell. I wouldn't get anything, the property is not worth anything anyway," said Elaine Crowley who lives across the street from Grace.

Ailing patients have also been suffering from the lack of long-term care facilities. They've been left to wait in Windsor hospital beds, which has created bed shortages for patients waiting to be admitted for other kinds of care.