The province of Ontario says they will accept the 鈥渂est offer鈥� after putting an historic jail up for sale at just $1.
through CBRE, the 33,000-square-foot lockup likely won鈥檛 sell for so little. Offers are being accepted until Nov. 23 when Infrastructure Ontario says they will review the bids.
鈥淲e are going to accept the best offer on behalf of the taxpayers of the province of Ontario,鈥� spokesperson Ian McConachie told CTV Windsor. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping someone comes up with an innovative solution and they can see a future for this building.鈥�
For local residents and historians, the old prison has a lot of potential. Originally constructed in 1796 and rebuilt in 1925 after a fire, the jail has a rich past in Windsor鈥檚 鈥淥ld Sandwich Town.鈥� It鈥檚 considered a historically significant region for the settlement of Ontario. If you ask local historian Terry Kennedy, there鈥檚 only one option: 鈥淚 believe it should be the museum for the neighbourhood.鈥�
Kennedy noted the community had been promised one in the past.
鈥淭he history of the building is amazing,鈥� said publisher Chris Edwards, who co-authored books on the border cities Detroit and Windsor. He said Alexander Mackenzie, the country鈥檚 second Prime Minister, was involved with the construction of the building.
There have also been talks of the space being converted into a homeless shelter, while others say it should just be knocked down for something entirely new.
For Edwards, investors need only look to Canada鈥檚 newest industry for inspiration: 鈥淚 personally think it would make a great 鈥榖ud and breakfast鈥� with the emerging marijuana business,鈥� he said.
With a report from CTV Windsor鈥檚 Chris Campbell
