The owner of a former historical Chatham-Kent inn and tavern is pleased it will not receive heritage designation.
Despite pleas from multiple historical groups, council has removed the Sicklesteel-Newkirk Property on Longwoods Rd from the Heritage Registry. The owners, Keith and Karn Graham, can now remove the existing building and start to rebuild a very similar structure compared to the original.
Keith Graham says they've already invested a large amount of time and money into other aspects of the property. "We've built two new buildings on the property in the same style, and we've restored three existing buildings."
Graham and other groups have tried to move the main house to another location, but Hydro One stipulations have prevented them from doing so. Graham adds he's still open to the idea, but didn't specify a timeline as to when that will happen.