A committee of Windsor City Council is recommending Abars be designated a heritage site potentially saving the east end establishment from demolition.
The building at the corner of Lauzon Rd. and Riverside Dr. was originally built in 1904 as a roadhouse and has strong ties to the city's rum-running history.
Though the building has little of its original architecture or design left according to the city's heritage planner, Councillor Chris Holt says it's important to preserve the building to protect Windsor's cultural history. "This is the last remaining roadhouse within the city of Windsor and for that to be demolished with no plans for anything else, with no plans of what to replace it with, that's such a permanent change," said Holt. The owners of the building told the Heritage Committee their immediate plans include demolishing the building and cleaning up the site with landscaping. "Is it our desire right now to sell that property and the other property that we own, no it is not," said Michael Samhat representing Crown Enterprises Inc. "If you force me to not be able to tear it down I'm not going to turn it into a restaurant/bar." The recommendation for heritage designation still needs final approval from city council. Should council decide to proceed with designation the owner may appeal the decision to the Conservation Review Board. Council also has the authority to approve demolition.
