Heritage designation on the table for former General Amherst High School property

The site of the former General Amherst High School seen in Amherstburg, Ont. on Oct. 21, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

Will Amherstburg council designate the former General Amherst High School property a heritage site?

That question is expected to be answered Monday night when council meets.

Council is revisiting the issue after it was first brought forward in early March, but at that time, council deferred the matter to gather more information before making a decision.

The report from administration supports the property being designated as a heritage site.

Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb says he has heard from residents, and there are differing opinions in town about the designation.

Gibb believes Monday night’s decision will be a difficult decision for council.

“If council decides not to go with a heritage designation, then there’s really no control of what happens to that property, which is right in the heart of our town,” said Gibb.

He says the site is already designated as ‘a property of interest.’

“A property of interest is a provincial designation that says the property cannot be demolished without the permission of the municipality,” said Gibb.

Valente Development purchased the property in April 2024 and plans to construct an eight-storey and 11-storey mixed-use towers with 144 residential units, including commercial and institutional uses.

Gibb says the current owner of the property opposes the designation.

“The developer has been pretty adamant that they’re not interested in a heritage designation and has been saying it could delay or even stop a future development of the property,” said Gibb.

At the March meeting, owner Peter Valente addressed council and strongly opposed the designation.

He said he was not aware of the potential designation prior to him purchasing the property.

Valente is listed as a delegation for Monday’s discussion.