South Bruce Peninsula councillors are supporting a recommendation to turn the old Sobeys Foodland location in Wiarton into a new town hall.
The Town says using the former grocery store’s existing building’s steel framed structure for the proposed Town Hall could reduce proposed construction costs by up to 25 per cent.
Council is also supporting the idea of one day possibly including other governmental services like Service Canada or Service Ontario, and possibly a library be included in the design. (Currently, the library branch is just down the street from the planned new town hall location).
Mayor Jay Kirkland says, “I would like to see a multi-use room in the new facility that can be used for other things other than just council every two weeks.”
Kirkland says they’ll put that idea to the architects, adding, “I’d rather see buildings used to their potential and their full use, than just building square footage to let it sit and not have anything go on.”
G.M. Diemert Architect Inc. will do the design work for $390,750, financed by the Town through a working capital reserve.
The town notes, “Any site amenities being considered as part of future phases of site development will include robust public consultation.”
The Town recently bought the former Sobeys site, which overlooks Bluewater Park and Colpoy’s Bay in Wiarton.
Kirkland says, “We’re right on our own property as far as the park is concerned, where the pool, ball diamonds, playgrounds, outdoor washrooms..so we’re kind of creating our own community hub within something that we’ve already got instead of recreating it.”
The project’s very early cost estimates are $6.5 million for a 13,000 square foot town hall. Staff say if the library and
other possible government service space is considered as part of the Town Hall build, an additional $2.4 million would be required.
It’s a 1.7 acre property, with a 26,800 square foot former grocery store. The site is fully serviced with gas, hydro, sewer, water
and storm water. Staff say despite some soil contamination and possible removal of a bit of soil if needed, they believe it’s still more affordable than previous ideas of building a new town hall on Jenny Street (estimated at about $31 million) or at the Wiarton Meadows site (estimated at about $8.2 million).
