The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is reporting that a water well responsible for leaking hydrogen sulfide gas behind the Wheatley Library in late June has been plugged.
As a result, municipal officials said that the library branch at 35 Talbot Street West in downtown Wheatley will reopen on Saturday to resume regular operating hours and summer programming. The customer service drop box will again be available once the library reopens, they noted.
"At no time was gas detected inside the library," said municipal officials.
The building was closed to the public out of an abundance of caution for staff and the public because of its proximity to the gas leak, they said.
Active monitors around the well will remain for at least the next two weeks and parking behind the library will be off limits during this time, said the municipality.
Officials also said that the site will be added to the monthly soil gas surveys going forward.
"The Municipality of Chatham-Kent would like to extend sincere appreciation to The Village Resource Centre for the use of their space during the service interruption," said the municipality.
On June 26, 2025, Chatham-Kent Fire Chief Chris Case confirmed the "strong" odour was hydrogen sulfide gas, the same gas that caused the 2021 explosion in downtown Wheatley that damaged and destroyed several buildings and injured 20 people.
The chief previously said fire crews arrived to find gas and water bubbling up from an area behind the Chatham-Kent Library Branch on Talbot Street West, adding that there were a total of six gas leaks between June 26 and Canada Day.
