Cathy Dobson/The Independent

A group of local doctors has made an offer to purchase the property on George Street in Sarnia where a registered charity called Indwell intends to build supportive housing.

However, Lambton County donated the land to Indwell in June with several conditions that make selling it to a third party challenging, according to the county’s solicitor and deputy clerk Ryan Beauchamp.

Those conditions require Indwell to develop approximately 50 supportive housing units at the vacant lot at 333 George St. within an 18-month period.  For Indwell to retain ownership, it must use the land for supportive housing for 50 years.  And, should Indwell decide to sell the property, Lambton County has first right of refusal.

Still the group of doctors, primarily consisting of specialists new to the area, have made a $219,000 offer to Indwell to buy the lot, which is adjacent to local EMS services, says retired lawyer Ed Gresham.

They want to build a doctors’ office there, said Gresham who says he represents the physician group. He declined to identify any in the group.

“We put an offer in on Monday (Sept. 1) that’s good for three months,” he said. “They want the property because it is close to the hospital. There is no other vacant land in that neighbourhood.”

Gresham said an unnamed doctor attempted to purchase the same property at 333 George St. previously, long before it was donated to Indwell.

But he said the county refused to sell.

“The bottom line is that (the doctor) was told no. He was told that the property had restrictive zoning for emergency vehicles only,” said Gresham.

However, city council minutes show that as far back as 2018 the George Street lot was zoned for general commercial use that includes medical centres and clinics. 

Gresham said he spoke publicly to The Independent about the doctors’ offer to purchase because county council acted “opaquely” when deciding to donate it to Indwell.

“Transfer of the land was done in-camera, which is Latin for in secret – so we want this to be more transparent,” Gresham said.

“We realize it’s a very divisive issue and really, these doctors don’t have any axe to grind.  They have nothing against Indwell’s concept,” he said.  “They encourage Lambton County to look for another property for Indwell.”

The $219,000 offer is considered by the doctors’ group to be fair market value for the vacant lot, Gresham added.

A representative with Indwell did not respond to The Independent’s calls.

Indwell has said it intends to build a five-storey, 50-unit supportive housing complex on the site in the middle of a mostly residential neighbourhood. When the announcement was made in June without previous notice, a heated community debate began over the location.

While neighbours agree that more affordable and supportive housing is needed for Sarnia’s homeless, some say their area is already home to a shelter at River City Vineyard and they are already doing enough to help the city’s most vulnerable.