The design is in. The borrowing bylaw has been approved.
The City of Armstrong is moving closer to constructing a new city hall.
Council had requested an updated design package at its regular meeting Monday, March 22. Mayor Chris Pieper and chief administrative officer Kevin Bertles met with Vernon MQN Architects’ Vicki Topping to review revised criteria on March 25.
“We communicated the revised roof elements and natural daylight sources, and the access and future occupancy of the basement floor,” said Bertles in a report to council. “We believe that this design is the minimum area that is required to provide for medium-term needs. It allows for some expandability for offices and meeting rooms in the basement.”
Council was given four options by MQN to consider and unanimously chose Option 4, which includes wood being featured as part of the new building.
“We worked on the design and wanted to stick with wood features similar to the arena (Nor-Val Sports Centre) and swimming pool,” said Pieper. “It’s a wood first commitment that the city made to the forest industry many years ago, and we are sticking with that.”
The new city hall will cost approximately $5.6 million and will be located on city-owned property across from the current city hall on Pleasant Valley Road.
Council unanimously passed a bylaw that will allow the city to borrow up to $4 million for the project.
“We will have drawings done and then go out to tender,” said Pieper. “If the tenders come in at $4 million or less, we’ll go ahead. If it’s more than $4 million, we’ll put the project on hold.”
The current city hall is more than 100 years old.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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