The Municipality of Chatham-Kent says officials will soon be reaching out to property owners in the downtown Wheatley evacuation zone about the possibility of buying their properties.
The municipality said 11 properties are within the current Wheatley evacuation zone and purchasing the properties is part of "conceptual mitigation plans" for the community.
Municipal officials noted safety systems that may be recommended by the municipality’s consultants can be implemented if the properties are publicly owned. Public ownership will also allow for community input into the vision of the area in the future, according to the municipality.
"It is hoped that these steps may help in the re-building and healing process for the community," the municipality wrote in a news release on Wednesday.
Officials are quick to point out the discussions are only preliminary at this point and that no final decisions have been made by the municipality about whether to purchase any properties.
The municipality said administration will be reporting back to Chatham-Kent Council to determine next steps after the talks have wrapped up.
Chatham-Kent, in cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, is also working towards holding another community public meeting regarding the findings of the engineering investigations in Wheatley.
The meeting is planned for March 1, 2023 and meeting details will be released shortly.
Downtown Wheatley exploded on August 21, 2021 when Methane Hydrogen Sulfide gas (H2S) came up through basement drains at 15 Erie Street North, the old Pogue Pub.
