The Windsor Public Library is on a mission to find a new downtown home, driven by a desire to stop paying roughly $100,000 per year to lease space in a building the City of Windsor sold for a single dollar. Board chair and Ward 4 councillor Mark McKenzie has set a target to relocate the central branch by September 2026.
The Costly Temporary Home
Since 2020, the library's main branch has operated from two floors in the annex of the historic Paul Martin Building at 185 Ouellette Avenue. The city had acquired the property from the federal government for $10 in 2019. However, in a surprising move in late 2023, the municipality sold the otherwise vacant building for $1 to Chatham-based RM Holdings, which plans to convert it into a boutique hotel.
"I'd like to be out of there by September — I think the City of Windsor residents deserve it. The staff deserve it," McKenzie stated to reporters on December 5. He emphasized that the library's stay in the Paul Martin Building was initially intended to be short-term. "It's been longer than I think anybody imagined," he added.
Pushing for a Proper Permanent Space
McKenzie's urgency stems from the need for a facility designed for library services. He envisions a new branch with a proper staff break room, adequate programming space, full accessibility, and room to house and display archives, including the valuable Windsor Star archives for public exhibits.
The financial strain of the current arrangement is clear. A November 18 financial report to the library board revealed that in the first three quarters of 2025, the library had spent 156% of its budget for rent, insurance, taxes, and security. This resulted in a year-to-date deficit of $95,858 for those line items.
Navigating the Lease and Next Steps
When asked about the possibility of breaking the lease with RM Holdings before September, McKenzie confirmed that conversations are ongoing. The lease structure involves the City of Windsor holding the primary agreement for the space, with the library board operating under a sublease.
In a statement, Windsor Public Library CEO Jen Knights noted that some specifics of the city's lease are protected under the Municipal Freedom of Privacy Act. She explained that the deficit in the rent budget is balanced by savings in other areas, calling it a normal part of the budgeting "balancing act."
While McKenzie confirmed the library board has identified a few potential new locations, no agreements have been signed. The search continues for a downtown Windsor home that better serves the community and provides long-term stability, freeing up funds currently spent on leasing a space in a dollar-sold building.
