Town hall was built for future growth
Comment
by Chris Simon

Last week, town council held its first meeting in its new chambers.

And the week before that, the new $10 million hall officially opened, as moving crews and staff successfully relocated operations from the old administration building to the new site. After receiving a guided tour of both buildings days before the new hall opened, it's easy to see why council approved the construction of a new office building during their last term. Quite honestly, the old building was cramped.

Walking through the old building, and stopping to chat with several staff members who were packing up their belongings and preparing for the move, this editor watched as an overwhelming sense of relief appeared to have come across their faces.

Over the past few years, several staff members have been forced to share cubicles, or work in portables stationed outside of the old administration building. One department manager, who had only recently been hired, had been working out of a board room since his tenure began.

Town council had been forced to work out of one small office, hidden in the back of the building.

Of course, there were several issues for the public as well. The building was difficult for physically impaired residents to navigate. Paying off a bylaw infraction required a walk up a deep set of stairs, while the washroom was located in the basement, another stumbling block for the handicapped.

Perhaps councillor Lynn Dollin summed it up best several weeks ago, when she said the old building actually prevented several residents from running for council during the last election, simply because they didn't want to deal with the staircases.

By contrast, the new town should help break down barriers.

The entrance to the hall features automatic doors, and an open concept design. There's an easily accessible information desk, and council chambers are a short walk from the entrance. Every part of the council chambers is wheelchair accessible, while the 150 person spectator gallery will fit most large delegations. The chambers can even be easily expanded to 300 people, if need be.

Staff should be pleased, since most will finally have their own cubicles and office space, all under one roof. Even council has a lounge.

The site isn't perfect, and there are some excesses that probably could have been done without. Several kinks also still need to be worked out, specifically in the council chamber, where large viewing screens still needed to be set up, and construction on a wheelchair ramp that connects the council table to the main portion of the chambers is still ongoing. But perhaps those finishing touches add an aura of symbolism around the new hall.

The new hall is huge, probably larger than the town needs at the moment. But this building was constructed, not for today, but instead with the next few decades in mind. South Simcoe, and specifically the Innisfil area, will be among the fastest growing regions in Ontario. And with growth comes more town employees, and more stress placed on the municipal infrastructure.

The administration, like the town itself, needs room to grow.

Residents need to give the new administration building some time, to see just how useful it can be.