Demolition equipment to start tearing down buildings affected by the 2021 gas explosion in downtown Wheatley will start arriving on site on Monday.
The municipality said the steel fencing along the east side of Erie Street North and the north side of Talbot Road East will also be removed in preparation for the demolition, expected to begin in early June.
On street parking and municipal sidewalks adjacent to the fencing will be unavailable during the demolition, but road closures are not anticipated, said Chatham-Kent Manager of Corporate Communications Eric Labadie.
"It is expected that internal work within the buildings will begin on May 27, and demolition of the buildings to follow within a week," said Labadie.
Meantime, community consultations surrounding Wheatley's Revitalization Plan kick off on Saturday [today].
The municipality said community consultations to discuss the much anticipated plan begin with the first session on Saturday, May 25 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The second session is planned for August 17, 2024 during the same time period.
The consultations are taking place at the Village Resource Centre at 108 Talbot Trail Road East in Wheatley.
Downtown Wheatley was rocked by a gas explosion in August of 2021, destroying several buildings and injuring 20 people.
The municipality has slowly been buying up buildings affected by the blast within the evacuation zone.
The buildings are along Erie Street North and Talbot Road East and were deemed unsuitable for redevelopment.