The Municipality of South Bruce will hire a structural engineer to analyze the Teeswater Town Hall.
It's hoped the engineer will determine if the building is sound, or if it is not worth spending additional money to upgrade the hall to bring it up to fire code.
Council says they've also established a fundraising committee in the hopes of raising the estimated $170,000 to improve the 150-year-old building.
Mayor Robert Buckle says several nearby municipalities spend a lot of their funds on sports-related projects, but the performing arts community in Teeswater is making their voices heard. He hopes to continue to work with them in order to find a solution that works for everyone.
Local resident Gary Ballagh headed a group at the recent South Bruce Council meeting that brought up comments before councillors, as well as providing a brief history of the Teeswater Town Hall.
A "Save the Town Hall" petition was also presented to council with hundreds of signatures.
The structural engineer is being brought in, due to a bulge in one of the outside walls. Within two weeks, the engineer will do an analysis to make sure the building is good to improve upon.
Council has applied for several grants available through the provincial government in the hopes of securing additional funding to improve the Town Hall. They're also working with Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson in order to maximize the exposure of their current predicament.
The Town Hall is scheduled to close on June 1 if not brought up to fire code. However, council hopes to keep a portion of the building open after that date, especially the lower-portion that Buckle feels could stay open until the day the renovations get underway.
