Blind River council has decided it will take some $200,000 in renovations needed to the town’s tourist information centre and spread the work out over three years.
Council decided at its meeting Monday evening to set aside $37,000 originally set in its 2018 capital budget for the building for window replacement and use the money to make the building fully accessible and do some cosmetic upgrades inside the building. The recommendation to spread the work was made in a report by clerk-administrator Kathryn Scott.
The original upgrades and costs were recommended by Kresin Engineering in a report to council earlier this year after the firm had inspected the building constructed in the early 1980s. Kresin also estimated replacing the building would cost between $700,000 and $900,00.
Part of the work Kresin recommended was replacement of the roof, windows and siding on the building at the east end of town.
Deputy Mayor Ken Kennedy was reserved about doing any work on the building, suggesting instead council should consider possibly merging the tourist information centre with the nearby museum.
“I always thought maybe there’s a way we could merge these two buildings under one,” he said. “I’ve been very vocal about this building because it’s not been one of my favourite buildings in town. Money is not as free to get as everybody thinks.”
Coun. Paula Summers has been advocating for the work to be done on the tourist information which she said at an earlier council meeting it attracts more than 7,000 visitors during the summer months.
“I’m for this endeavour to get this building into better repair,” she said. “It’s a building that’s worth a lot of money and it’s in good shape for buildings of that age. I believe there is funding for this.”
Coun. Jim Dunbar also favoured doing work on the building.
“This is a $700,000 to $900,000 building… to take it down and replace it,” he said. “I’m going to go along with implementing a three-year plan. It is valuable forefront centre right there on the highway (17).”
Coun. HP Roy has previously opposed work on the building and the costs.
However, he said he had changed his mind with the costs spread out.
“I think it makes more sense than throwing all the money at it at once,” he said. “I’ve been flip flopping but my mind has been changed.”
Coun. Clifford Spratt was also in support of work being done on the building.
The councillor said he didn’t agree with the prices presented in the Kresin report.
“If we get going with the project we should put out an RFP (request for proposals) to local contractors to see what they could do,” Coun. Spratt said, “We don’t have the money to upgrade the building with anything major. It’s not going to cost that much and it’s a good start.”
Coun. Steven Wells also supported the three-year plan and welcomed work to make the building fully accessible.
Mayor Sue Jensen also supported the plan and its recommendation to work with the local Chamber of Commerce and economic development corporation to attempt to find other funding sources or grants to help offset the costs.
Only the deputy mayor voted against the motion to spread the work over three years.