Cranbrook city council has moved civic business back into the heart of the downtown core.
The newly renovated council chambers hosted it’s first official council meeting post-construction at city hall on Monday evening, after conducting business at the Manual Training School adjacent to the Cranbrook Public Library for a number of months to accommodate construction.
The renovations were 100 per cent grant funded from the federal and provincial governments; the federal government’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure program contributed $1.2 million, while the city allocated $300,000 from the BC Government’s COVID-19 Safe Restart grant.
“All of the work from the planning and construction right through to the finishing details has created an amazing space, welcoming to the public and functional for Council and City staff,” says Mayor Wayne Price. “The funding from the Government of Canada and the Province gave us a fantastic opportunity to invest in improving and restoring this important heritage building that is City Hall without needing to rely on our City taxpayers.
“Council is very grateful for these financial commitments to this wonderful space.”
Cranbrook’s city hall was built in 1912, and underwent extensive renovations in the 1980s, which included a drop ceiling and wall coverings that covered up decaying heritage features of the space.
The latest renovations have removed the drop ceiling and increased the number and size of windows in the room to allow for more natural lighting and a bright, user friendly space that can be used for other purposes than city council meetings, such as staff training, larger workshops and other events.
Removal of hazardous material, such as asbestos and lead water lines, from the chambers room and city hall was a significant aspect of the project.
“The original intent of this project was to address the hazardous materials and provide a safe environment for staff,” says Tony Hetu, Acting Director of Public Works. “During the planning phase, it became clear that we had an incredible opportunity to showcase the unique architecture of this historic building which was covered through years of renovation.”
Additionally, the new council chambers has undergone significant technological upgrades to accommodate virtual attendance for staff, delegations and the public.
In addition to the chamber renovations, the city also completed some updates to HVAC and washroom facilities to the building. While not included in the grants from the feds and the province, the city had previously budgeted for that work, which was approved with cost savings in mind since contractors were already on site.
