Some residents are concerned about upkeep to property on Riverside Dr. E now that Windsor City Council has approved demolition of ABars.
The owners of the land Crown Enterprises Inc. have committed to tearing down the building in short order, fixing up the landscaping and erecting 'tasteful' fencing to block access to the site.
"Hopefully they stick to their plan, like I said last night, they proved me wrong but due to their track record in the community I can't see them doing much with the property and as a community we're going to suffer," said Darren Thorne, who was part of the group trying to save the building.
As part of council's resolution the owners will be required to put up a plaque recognizing the historical significance of the site and city administration will have the opportunity to go in the building and remove any historical artifacts for the city museum.
"For them to put a plaque up on the vacant lot that's unkept is really not what the city deserves or that community, especially as that was a huge hub for the community and the history that the building has," said Thorne.
Ward Councillor Joanne Gignac says many neighbouring businesses and residents see the demolition as an improvement. She says when the Abars site and the properties surrounding it are cleaned up people will really notice a difference.
"Right now they are not all covered in green, they are uneven, there's a mishmash of chain link fencing and other fencing and it looks rather rough," says Gignac.
She's confident council found a good balance between recognizing the historical significance of the site and improving the aesthetic for the neighbourhood.
