$10-million town hall opens its doors
It used to drive me nuts that we weren’t under the same roof. This is a town hall. It belongs to the citizens.
Workers are still putting the finishing touches on St-Lazare’s new $10-million town hall, but municipal staff have already started moving in. The new building ’s doors opened to the public for the first time on Monday afternoon, but visitors were limited to the reception area, where staff were ready to help residents seeking municipal permits or to pay their taxes. Mayor Robert Grimaudo, who also moved into his new office over the weekend, said the new building is spacious and efficient, in marked contrast to the old converted schoolhouse that once stood on the same site at 1960 Ste-Angélique Road. The former building was not only too small, but was also not built to current safety codes. Urban planning, environment and administrative staff, along with head office personnel and the mayor’s team moved into their new spaces in the town hall late last week. Other staff, including human resources, IT services, the town clerk’s office and communication services won’t be settled in until Sept. 8. Once the move is done, town staff will finally be all together in one building rather than in various offices across town. “It used to drive me nuts that we weren’t under the same roof,” Grimaudo said. In addition to a mayor’s office, staff workstations and meeting rooms, the new building also includes a room with desks specifically for councillors, who did not previously have a dedicated place to work at the town hall. But Grimaudo said the town hall isn’t just for council members and municipal staff. Lockers will be provided in the basement for local non-profits who need storage, and almost half the ground floor is dedicated to community spaces where residents can gather and non-profits can host events at no charge. Landscaping won’t be finished until next spring, but it too will be a public space, furnished with picnic tables and benches. Grimaudo said the vision is to have a town hall that bustles with activity, hosting drop-in socials for seniors, community kitchen events, local club meetings, workshops for citizens and more. “This is a town hall. It belongs to the citizens,” Grimaudo said. “It is a people’s town hall. No date has been set for the official grand opening, which is now projected to be in spring 2018. Council meetings will continue to be held at the community centre until the new council chamber is finished this fall. Until the move is completed, the town recommends calling or checking its website for information on where to go.