Chatham-Kent council members will once again discuss the possibility of some major and costly renovations to the Civic Centre.
In a report coming before council Monday night, municipal staff are recommending the approval of a significant renovation of the Civic Centre at an initial investment of $18.1 million.
According to staff, the 43-year-old Civic Centre is in severe need of renovations.
The need to address the deterioration of the building was originally brought to the previous council in 2017 and was ultimately voted down. In January 2020, the current council also rejected renewed recommendations to renovate the Civic Centre and instead opted to make emergency repairs as needed. At that time, a motion was also approved to have staff prepare a report that looks at the costs of replacing only the HVAC system with no other repairs to the building.
Infrastructure and Engineering General Manager Thomas Kelly previously told council that the Civic Centre's HVAC system hasn’t been replaced since the building was first constructed and has failed dozens of times in the past few years in addition to being severely energy inefficient. He also warned that if the HVAC system were to suddenly fail without proper planning, fixing it would require such major renovations that, by law, the whole building would have to be brought up to current Ontario disability standards and the results could end up costing more than the proposed $18 million solution.
Now that staff has prepared the requested report to look at the costs of only replacing the HVAC system with no other repairs to the building, the recommended price tag essentially remains the same as it was in January -- $18.1 million.
Civic Centre repairs cost breakdown
According to the report, the estimated cost of replacing the HVAC system is $9.7 million. However, the report also notes that the HVAC system upgrades will trigger replacements of ceiling ductwork, electrical upgrades, materials, and lighting fixtures on all levels of the building. The work would also require the relocation of all staff, floor by floor, during the various construction phases with total costs equalling $10.5 million.
"It is not possible to simply replace existing components due to their age, condition and the upgraded design of the HVAC system to 2020 technology," stated the report.
Due to efficiencies and future cost savings, staff is once again recommending that council also approve the remaining $8.4 million worth of Civic Centre renovations including new windows and doors, new floor and wall finishes, new offices and conference rooms and a new elevator.
Photos included in the report showcase the state of deterioration that the Civic Centre is currently in, including leaking roofs, water damage and uneven flooring.
"It is important to note that the additional cost of $8.4 million will be realized only if all components, as tabled above, are completed as one project at the same time. If not completed as one project, the costs of the remaining future work will increase by $2.1 million (to $10.5 million) due to remobilization requirements. Remobilization will include the second relocation of staff, redesign of office layout and the removal of all existing ceiling materials to facilitate the installation of the fire protection system," read the report. "Further, the redesign of the office layout may be a requirement in the coming months dependent upon the on-going impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In summary, completing the $8.4 million work at the same time as the HVAC replacement will save $2.1 million in future costs."
The $18.1 million price tag also includes $1.5 million towards relocating Council Chambers to the first floor of the Civic Centre.
The recommendation to relocate Council Chambers was originally brought to council in May 2019, but ultimately, council directed staff to bring back a report with more information, which was presented in January alongside the renovation recommendations and voted against.
At the time, council was told that there are many things in Council Chambers that are not up to standards with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, including non-accessible washrooms on the second floor and nearly impossible evacuation options in an emergency situation for people using a wheelchair.
"If council chooses to maintain Council Chambers on the second floor, the estimated cost will be $17.3 ($12.3 net) million. Included in the $17.3 million estimate are upgrades to modernized current accessibility needs at a cost of $758,000," read the report. "However, this option will not address the safety concerns associated with the egress of a large gathering on the second floor in the event of an emergency and therefore is not recommended by administration."
For Chatham-area Councillor Michael Bondy, this will be his third time discussing and voting on Civic Centre renovations.
Speaking ahead of Monday night's meeting, Bondy said he understands the need to update the HVAC system but does not agree with the price tag.
He also added that renovating the Civic Centre is a whole different issue for him. He was outspoken against the idea the first two times the proposal came up and said his views haven't changed.
"There's nothing wrong with the Civic Centre," he said. "Council Chambers is fine, it works well. Very rarely is there a lineup of people to get in it, like standing room only. So really, I don't understand it. I don't understand the need to renovate the Civic Centre, it's fine."
Bondy said he was surprised to see the same recommendations that were made in January and is fairly confident that they will be struck down by council again, especially when factoring in economic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Given the economic crisis we're in, it's not necessary," he said. "This would be on the nice-to-do list but not a must-do."
According to the report, the renovations will cost an initial investment of $18.1 million but will end up costing $13.1 million in the long-term after factoring in energy savings.
If approved, the project cost would be supported by building and lifecycle reserves and have no impact on the municipal tax levy.
