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UPDATE Downtown Mission Backs Out of Library Purchase

AM800-NEWS-DOWNTOWN-MISSION-NEW-LOCATION-FEBRUARY-20-2020
AM800-NEWS-DOWNTOWN-MISSION-NEW-LOCATION-FEBRUARY-20-2020
The mission will build a new facility at 819 Ouellette Ave. for 2.2million

The Downtown Mission's $10-million purchase and renovation of the former central branch of Windsor Public Library has fallen through.

Executive Director Ron Dunn says the bank supplying the mortgage pulled its offer and the mission failed to get an extension from the city on the February 28th closing date.

Mayor Drew Dilkens told AM800's The Morning Drive that council voted no to the extension because it would mean spending up to $200,000 to maintain the former library building until the new deadline.

The mission has now sold the library property to a developer for $3.6-million dollars and secured donations to purchase land across the street at the corner of Ouellette Avenue and Elliot Street to build a new facility.

"This is ground zero for addiction, for mental health, obviously for homelessness and the housing crisis. All of those things come to a head hear, yet we remain unsupported by government, which is a bigger conversation," says Dunn, who says the mission's plans for affordable housing on hold. "This is about living to fight another day."

Dunn goes on to say "I did have a conversation with Mayor [Drew] Dilkens and he alluded to the fact that they might be able to get us our money back, but I can't take might to the bank, so we made other arrangements," he says. ""Eventually we ran out of time. We obviously did not see it coming that we wouldn't get a mortgage, so we had to duck and weave and do what we thought was in our best interest."

Dilkens says the city was ready to return the mission's deposit, so the move is disappointing.

"It's certainly not good form because we've been good partners with the mission and it would have been much better had they just taken their deposit back, walked away and allowed us to control development in a way that would be acceptable to people in Windsor," he says.

Dunn couldn't reveal the new owner of the library, but did say they plan to develop a residential and commercial mix on the property.

Still, Dilkens says the move may not sit well with city council.

"At the end of the day something just doesn't feel quite right here, but nothing they've done is illegal as far as we can tell," says Dilkens. "I think there are many around the council table who tonight have expressed they have a bit of sour taste in their mouth from this deal, so we'll certainly be having a conversation with city council in the near future."

The mission's current home on Victoria Avenue has been sold and Dunn says the building has to be cleared out by this time next year.

Construction on the new Downtown Mission is expected to get underway in August.

Dunn also confirmed Dan Wilson resigned as chairperson of the mission's board of directors, two months short of his term ending but did not confirm if it was directly related to the deal.

Wilson was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

Local News

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