Sarnia's Drawbridge Inn will reopen as the Insignia in 2018. BlackburnNews.com file photo.Sarnia's Drawbridge Inn will reopen as the Insignia in 2018. BlackburnNews.com file photo.
Sarnia

Major Changes Coming To Downtown Hotel

Sarnia's historic Drawbridge Inn is about to receive a significant face lift.

The downtown hotel, which originally opened in 1963, will undergo three months of renovations before reopening its doors in September under a new name, the Insignia.

Kelly Steeves, who was born and raised in Sarnia, has been hired as the hotel's new General Manager.

She says several improvements will be made to the facility.

"It'll be an urban, upscale boutique style hotel. There will be a lobby bar, a full service restaurant downstairs, and also a boardroom and banquet halls," says Steeves. "Our look will be much more of a minimalist and European feel, but we do want to keep the charm and history of the building in tact."

Newly named General Manager of the Insignia (formerly known as the Drawbridge Inn) Kelly Steeves. June 19, 2017. (Photo by Jake Jeffrey) Newly named General Manager of the Insignia Kelly Steeves. (Photo by Jake Jeffrey)

The downstairs bar, which had been a very popular meeting place for local business in the past, will be returning.

Steeves says they are looking forward to being part of the downtown revitalization.

"We see a real potential for collaboration with local business here, keeping it local and authentic. We want to work with the downtown core, there is definitely a downtown buzz in Sarnia and we're really happy to be a part of it."

She adds that although the building will undergo significant work indoors, the outer facade will remain fairly unchanged, with some minor improvements made to the hotel's front entrance.

The Insignia is scheduled to reopen September 22nd, and Steeves says they will be holding a job fair at the end of August to fill positions.

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