The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is inviting the public to attend an information session regarding the Community Hub project in downtown Chatham.
Municipal officials said it's part of the ongoing community engagement for the proposed project.
The municipality said the information session is on Wednesday from 5-8 p.m. at the John D. Bradley Centre at 556 Richmond Street in Chatham.
A new community survey is also launching on Wednesday seeking input on the development of the proposed CK Community Hub. The survey will run from July 17, 2024 until August 7, 2024. Click here for the survey and updated project information.
"The information session will be open-house style and will offer an opportunity for community members to view the first architectural renderings of the proposed Community Hub, see proposed floor plans, learn more about the collaboration being conducted with community stakeholders, and get information on the current progress being made on the project," said the municipality in a news release.
The municipality noted the feedback gathered from the survey will be combined with the feedback from specific community groups such as the library board, the museum committee, and the accessibility committee to help direct the design and features of the proposed Community Hub.
In January 2024, CK Council decided to buy the former Sears building at the mall in downtown Chatham for $2.95 million from 100 King Street CK Holdings Inc. to potentially move the Civic Centre, library, and museum to the site, even though a consultant appraised the property at only $630,000.
The agreement has a buy-back provision to allow 100 King Street CK Holdings Inc. to repurchase the building at the same price within 18-24 months, if the municipality decides not to proceed with redeveloping the property for municipal use.
Administration has told Council that the municipality can save $11.7 million in construction costs by using the existing Sears building. Those estimates came from a third-party consultant.
The proposed Chatham-Kent Community Hub is a multi-year project that is currently wrapping up its second phase. The current phase establishes the Stakeholder Engagement Group, creates detailed concept designs, provides an updated cost estimate, and engages the public on the concept designs.
Administration previously estimated the cost of renovating the former Sears building at $53 million and the cost of renovating the existing civic centre at $37 million.
