Heritage designated buildings in the Town of Essex will now have a new tool for maintaining their properties.
The town has approved a new heritage grant for owners of homes or businesses to access for restorations.
"To restore their facility, house, or business back. To keep it along the historical lines it was built in originally," says Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche.
He says he hopes it encourages more property owners to preserve the built heritage in the town.
"There's so few of those kinds of assets in any community these days and we we've heard that over the last ten years 20% of Ontario's historic buildings have been destroyed through lack of having anybody have any concern for them," says Meloche.
The grant fund currently has $50,000 available for eligible owners. Meloche says they intend to put $25,000 in the account annually over the next four to five years.
