The site of the former Navistar plant will be up for discussion Tuesday night, but the details of the meeting are being kept under wraps for now.
A special closed session will be held at the Civic Centre in Chatham pertaining to the "proposed disposition and acquisition of land by the municipality... with regard to 508 Richmond St., Chatham," the address of the now-vacant property where the Navistar truck assembly plant once stood. In accordance with the Municipal Act, meetings are permitted to be closed to the public for the discussion of certain subject matters including the acquisition of land by the municipality.
The plant was officially closed in 2011 and demolition of the facility began in late 2013. Since then the property has remained vacant. Earlier this year it was touted as the perfect location for the new arena by Build the Complex CK, a local group that petitioned for the building of a multiuse sports complex in Chatham. A similar idea was also backed by former mayor Randy Hope, who has pushed to see the land used for a multi-use recreation facility and a transportation hub.
The councillors who are attending the meeting also appear to be unsure of the full scope of what will be discussed. Councillor Trevor Thompson shared the news of the meeting on his Facebook page Monday morning, assuring residents that he had no further information.
Screengrab via Trevor Thompson Facebook
