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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2020
Vol. 7 Edition 27
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Those lucky enough to see one of the 30-minute shows from their cars during the Armoury In Lights Drive-In Experience were treated to a dance performance by Santa, Mrs. Claus and their helpers, as well as a myriad of animated light projections on the Armoury’s facade. The seven-day sold-out event collected donations to help Chatham-Kent’s homeless.
Municipality washes hands of DCC
By Jenna Cocullo jenna@chathamvoice.com
The Downtown Chatham Centre (DCC) is bankrupt and the municipality won’t be coming to its aid after a potential partnership with a group of Chatham-Kent investors fell through. On Oct. 30, the DCC fell into the possession and
control of BDO Canada Ltd. in accordance with the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Its total assets are valued at $19.1 million. Chatham-Kent businessmen Robb Nelson and Dan Warrener brought together a group of local investors to purchase the DCC and revitalize it into a downtown core of busi-
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ness professionals and retailers. “We had conversations with the municipality to see if they would be interested in a relationship with us, but that’s no longer going forward,” Nelson said. Malls are sitting empty across North America as the retail landscape has shifted.
Nelson said they wanted the DCC to be repurposed to fit other needs, such as centralizing a main sector for all of Chatham-Kent, not just Chatham, which would have included businesses, services, agricultural amenities, and government offices. Continued on page 3
Keep it going, C-K
By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com
Keep on giving. That’s the request from representatives of local foundations, municipal government, several businesses, and philanthropists recently. The United Way held an online meeting recently with members of its co-investors table and other community representatives, and the message of continued giving was at the forefront. The COVID-19 pandem-
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ic and the restrictions that came with it have made for a challenging time here in Chatham-Kent, and it is not over yet. The municipality has come together in many ways, including the May 16th Miracle and more recently The Gift, as well as through regular support methods. But the need remains. Members of the co-investors table first met in early April as a way to co-ordinate both funding efforts and resources.
Continued on page 4