Longtime Belle River motel demolished due to safety issues

A long-time motel in Belle River has been torn down following a series of orders to address safety issues resulted in a demolition permit being issued.

Heavy equipment was brought in Wednesday to tear down the Green Acres Motel at 1680 County Road 22.

On June 26, the Lakeshore Fire Department received a complaint regarding unsafe conditions related to the electrical at Green Acres Motel. Lakeshore Fire issued a Fire Marshal's Order to the Electrical Safety Authority requesting an inspection.

The ESA filed an order to remedy in July and the power was subsequently disconnected on Friday, Aug. 18.

Due to the power disconnection, Lakeshore's chief building official issued an Order to Comply on Aug. 22. 

The Order to Comply gave the property owner seven days to complete the work required to make the building safe and when the work outlined in the Order to Comply was not completed, an Order Prohibiting Occupancy was issued on Sept. 1, effective Sept. 5.

A demolition permit was then issued on Sept. 6, which resulted in the motel being knocked down that same day. 

Heavy equipment was used on Sept. 6, 2023 to demolish the Green Acres Motel at 1680 County Road 22 in Belle River. Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo: Rusty Thomson)

As many as a dozen people were living at the motel before it was torn down.

According to the Municipality of Lakeshore, administration has been in communication with local housing and social services since early August to ensure the individuals staying at Green Acres Motel had access to local services, including emergency housing if required.

AM800 News attempted to contact the property manager but messages were not returned.

There is now word on what will happen to the property now, which sits between Seasons Retirement Community in Belle River and the future site of a new long-term care home announced this past August by the Ontario government.