The Town of Amherstburg is formalizing a relationship with a group of residents who want to help efforts to restore the historic Belle Vue House.
The town decided in September to purchase the historic property for $1.1-million. It's estimated restoration work will cost around $2.5-million.
A group called the Belle Vue Conservancy has come forward to help with fundraising for the project.
"We're going to acquire a historical property, one of the ten most endangered significant properties in all of Canada, and we're going to work as a community on a plan to restore it," says Amherstburg CAO John Miceli.
The BVC is already prepared to announce its first major donation at a press conference next week. Artist Peter Rindlisbacher has committed funds to the project.
"One of the roles of the Belle Vue Conservancy will also be to advise what areas we should move forward in the renovations. If we're going to be doing it in a staged approach, we'd be working with the conservancy and the rest of the community to make sure we're addressing what they value most," says Miceli.
The official closing of the sale of the property will occur before the end of the year.
