Council OK’s return to old city hall
$400,000 in renovations needed to accommodate increased staff
Councillors will be returning to their former digs in Calgary’s Historic City Hall once $400,000 renovations are complete on the sandstone-clad building in 2020.
Council was forced to relocate temporarily in 2016 to make way for work to rehabilitate the hall’s crumbling exterior. The restoration is budgeted at $34 million.
While most council members have expressed a strong desire to return to the historic building, some have grown accustomed to the more spacious temporary offices on the fourth floor of the city ’s administration building, just east of Historic City Hall.
Further complicating the return to an already tight space, around 10 support staff members have been added to the office of the councillors.
“Both the office of the councillors and the mayor’s office have experienced a little bit of staff growth since they left and they currently would not fit back in the space they left behind,” said Darrel Bell, acting director of facility management.
Bell said the plan is to reconfigure the old hall’s first floor, previously occupied by the city clerk’s office, to add three offices to accommodate the increased staff numbers; a new kitchen and a universal washroom will also be added to the first floor.
“I believe $400,000 will be sufficient to do the work,” Bell said.
The city says the plan would involve less renovation compared to other options like allowing the councillors to remain in their temporary offices.
Coun. Ray Jones, who chaired Monday’s council meeting, said he agrees with the plan to return to the historic building.
“The majority of members of council want to move back to old city hall,” Jones said. “They figure it’s the legislative building, so it should have the legislative arm of the city there.”
Mayor Naheed Nenshi will decide separately if his office will return to old city hall. Nenshi was not present at Monday’s council meeting.
Coun. Jeromy Farkas said he doesn’t believe any additional money should be put toward moving council to old city hall, adding that he would like to see the relocation paid for under existing council administration budgets.
“I’m not too fussed about having too comfortable digs at city hall. I see my job as being predominantly in the council chamber or out in the community listening to my constituents,” Farkas said.
“To be frank, I think we could do well with being a little less comfortable around here.”
Late Monday evening, council voted 13-1 in favour of the plan to return to the historic building. Farkas proffered the sole dissenting vote.
“Councillor Farkas is opposed. We’ll leave him behind,” Jones joked.