The fence surrounding Willistead Manor in Windsor is going to be restored.
Ward 4 councillor Chris Holt says the perimeter fence around the property is more than 100-years-old and is starting to show its age. It features an iron picket fence and 115 limestone pillars.
City council has agreed to get the wheels turning on restoration work at the historic home at Niagara St. and Chilver Rd.
Holt says manor officials and residents in the area have been asking for the repairs for quite some time.
"Around two years ago I asked this council a question about the fence repair and that came about out of concerns from the Willistead Manor Board of Directors, from the residents in Walkerville," says Holt. It's over a hundred years old and it's in rough shape and it needs some work."
He says it's not your standard project.
"Because of the heritage aspect of it and because of the age of it, we're going to have to employ the skills of somebody who is confident and knowledgeable about the materials that we used," says Holt. "So hopefully we will see the limestone columns and the iron work restored to their old spender."
Limestone pillars around Willistead Manor in need of repair (Photo courtesy of the City of Windsor)
The restoration price tag is unknown at this time and will be determined as part of the city's 2019 budget.
Holt calls it important to preserve such a big part of the city's heritage.
"You've got to think that this is in the middle of a neighbourhood, right? There's a lot of the iron work that's been kicked out. There's a lot of the limestone columns that have been deteriorated over the course of the last hundred years and it needs some attention. We're talking about one of the most distinguishable landmarks within the City of Windsor," he says.
Restoration work is expected to get underway in the spring.