Ladysmith council members discussed next steps for plans to build a new city hall, institutional space and housing on town-owned land downtown.
At a council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23, councillors shared their thoughts on the Buller Street revitalization project and passed the first three readings of a loan authorization bylaw to begin an alternative-approval process ahead of long-term borrowing.
According to a staff report, the current city hall is at capacity, offices are too small to conduct meetings, and the town has to store files off-site at a cost of $8,000 annually.
Although there will be partners in the Buller Street project, the town’s portion of the project is estimated to be approximately $13.5 million and the town is required to obtain elector approval to finance the amount.
Coun. Duck Paterson asked staff how the information would be rolled out to Ladysmith residents, and how the town will make the case for a new city hall, saying he’s noticed a lot of “negativism” toward the use of an AAP in Nanaimo, which is currently going through the process for public works yard upgrades.
READ ALSO: Town of Ladysmith looking at spending $13.5 million on new city hall
“The public will have their time to say if we should or we shouldn’t,” said Allison McCarrick, the town’s chief administration officer.
“A lot of times, local governments wait for a long period of time to come through with building a city hall because it is something that perhaps is perceived by the public as more selfish, but it’s really not, it’s for the public, it’s so we can be efficient in serving the public,” McCarrick said.
She said when council approves the final draft of the project, staff will create a package that will let citizens know what the proposal looks like, where funding is coming from, how much it is projected to cost for the whole build and what the town’s share of those costs will be. She said the town won’t roll anything out to the public until council is comfortable with the plan.
Coun. Tricia McKay said the poor conditions of the current city hall are not being overstated, and a lot of residents that she has spoken with recognize that “the town may be off on a few things in their opinion, but needing a new town hall isn’t one of them.”
Coun. Ray Gourlay talked about his experience with the town when he first moved to Ladysmith, saying he was looking for information about building heights and fences, and he ended up having to visit all three offices where staff work in search of the information.
“Not only will staff benefit from having that consolidated work environment, but the public will really benefit from the services that a one-stop-shop can provide,” said Gourlay.
Mayor Aaron Stone expressed his excitement for a civic facility on town-owned land, which he said could spur investment in the lower part of 1st Avenue. Having staff working in close proximity will save time and energy for both staff and residents, he added.
Councillors unanimously voted to approve the first three readings of a loan authorization bylaw. If also approved by the B.C. Inspector of Municipalities, the town can begin the AAP. At the next council meeting, councillors hope to discuss who will partner with the town on the project.
bailey.seymour@nanaimobulletin.com
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