A plan to move County council chambers across the road from the County building at 11 Newcastle Street in Minden – as well as renovating the existing headquarters – was hotly debated at council Feb. 12, as it comes with a $1.6 million price tag.
While County staff and politicians have been talking about using the vacant Land Registry Office across the street for a new council home for some time, their first glimpse at floor plans for the new space caught some councillors off guard.
The office closed, along with 43 others across Ontario in 2020, following a move to online property records.
The first floor features the new council meeting space, with a public gallery for 21 people. There is a separate conference room; a kitchenette and lounge, and two sets of washrooms. It would be accessed by stairs and a lift. There would also be a ground floor level with office and public spaces. CAO Gary Dyke said it has been determined they would not be able to use the basement area.
Dyke told the meeting that staff and their consultant, Tessier Design Corp., were readying to put the job out to tender with a hope of starting construction at the end of May and moving in, in early October. He said $1.2 million would be funded by the department, with a little over $420,000 from safe restart and modernization funding. Council approved the money in the 2025 budget.
Dyke said the existing building at 11 Newcastle St. has a number of accessibility issues, and, “we are running out of space. We have very limited meeting space in the building.”
‘Boondoggle’
After coun. Jennifer Dailloux and deputy warden Liz Danielsen referenced aesthetics of the refurbished space, coun. Murray Fearrey queried the whole project. He said they were talking about spending more than $1 million; and while he had heard about moving council chambers, “it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a drawing on it. There are alternatives, there were, … it’s more efficient to have the council chamber in the building where you have your staff. To me, this is a boondoggle.” Fearrey added other options, such as selling the Land Registry Office and extensively renovating the existing headquarters had not been discussed. He said he had a lot of questions and thought they should put the item on hold.
Coun. Bob Carter said they approved putting the project into the budget; knowing it would not affect 2025’s budget. But, after seeing the floor plans, he said, “I am concerned about the cost.” He added he felt it was premature contacting vendors about detailed pricing, “if we’re not going to approve it.”
Carter said 11 Newcastle St. work is needed, but across the street optional. He noted the five townships are talking about working together more, and there could be amalgamation, so it had to be determined if there were too many, or too few offices.
Dyke said they had not discussed possible renovations at 11 Newcastle St. with council, but the idea of moving the council chambers into the former Land Registry Office “was always discussed.” He conceded other elements, such as offices, had not.
But Coun. Cec Ryall said the current building, “as it sits right now ain’t doing the job…there needs to be something done.” However, he said he has to be able to justify the spending of $1.6 million to taxpayers, so would need the rationale, and benefits, for the changes. He also asked if it made sense for Minden Hills to also use the new council chambers. Dyke said a shared council chamber was a possibility. He noted there would be more community space.
Dailloux said “the blueprint moment is a big moment for the brain.” She said she recalled directing staff about a two-building option at budget, so was worried council was pulling the rug out from under staff, “doing what they were asked to do.” She felt decisions about office space, etc., were operational.
Dyke said they could come back with more specific information, and council received the report for information only.
