The former Sarnia General Hospital isn't taking patients but it is still taking up space.
The boarded-up building has been vacant for two years and Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley has had enough.
"If you look around this neighbourhood, it's a very strong neighbourhood in the heart of the city. A building like this is a cancer in the neighbourhood," says Bradley.
That cancer he speaks of is vandalism, rats and other potential problems. But the biggest concern is the cost.
Bradley says the option of demolishing the building makes sense for the community and the taxpayers.
"We just want fair equal treatment. This is in the best interest of the tax payers of Ontario, to stop paying $1 million to date on this building. When it could be brought down for $3 million and this site could be redeveloped to the benefit of the province and the community."
The province put $13 million toward the demolition of South Street in London, but Sarnia was only offered $75,000.
It's an amount that Bradley says is offensive.
But Health Minister Deb Matthews denies it's the province's responsibility.
"We'll talk about it, but it's pretty clear that the land and the building belong to the city. We have a beautiful new hospital in Sarnia and that was funded in large part by the province," says Matthews.
Meanwhile Sarnia MPP Bob Bailey agrees that the longer it sits there, the more expensive it will get.
"The longer the site sits abandoned, it'll be more expensive. There will be security issues, heating issues, we can't let the pipes freeze and a lot of it has been maintained as best they can but they still have to keep a certain amount of heat in the building," says Bailey.
Bradley is meeting with the Minister of Health at the end of this month.
He will be bringing members of Bluewater Health as well as community representatives.
