Citizen concerns persist on new Kings municipal complex
It looks like the energy efficiency target set for the new County of Kings municipal complex to be built in Coldbrook will be reached after all.
Council voted Aug. 2 to reduce energy efficiency from 25 per cent below the 2011 National Energy Code for Buildings to 10 to 15 per cent in order to maintain the $7.5 million budget. Stantec had calculated it could cost upwards of another $2 million to reach the 25 per cent goal.
It was announced at the first of two public consultation sessions Aug. 10 that the consultants will be able to reach the original 25 per cent target. The consultants hope to put the project out to tender by Sept. 8.
Architect Leif-Peter Fuchs said the original design and energy model didn’t include a geothermal system. At that point, they didn’t think they could afford it and maintain the budget. After receiving an updated energy model based on a new design that did include a geothermal system, the picture changed.
Stantec didn’t anticipate that the performance of the system would be as good as it turned out to be. This enabled them to meet the energy efficiency target and stick to the established budget.
“We actually have an expert on geothermal systems based in Newfoundland, one of our Stantec people, who helped us with the design of that,” Fuchs said.
Stantec sustainability and engagement lead Marty Janowitz said the expert gave them methods allowing them to do more with geothermal technology with less investment.
“If it had been a week later, we probably would have come with a different perspective but, even now, we’d rather over perform than over promise, so we’re saying that we can make 25 per cent at least,” Janowitz said.
He said the Stantec team would be creative in addressing concerns raised at the most re- cent public consultations.
Fuchs said they won’t be able to include everything but they’ll determine with the county “what issues they want us to proceed with” when it comes to finalizing plans for the administration building, now expected to be just under 20,000 square feet.
There wasn’t consensus among citizens at the meeting on whether a large, fixed council chamber would be preferred over more of multi-purpose configuration with partitions.
Fuchs said this is an interesting challenge requiring an in- novative solution.
“Kings will have something that few municipalities have if we can truly solve the contradictions that there are. That’s what we’re going to set our minds to,” Fuchs said.
Janowitz said the municipality wants a council chamber that serves the people and demonstrates the importance of a council chamber but is also capable of being used by the community between meetings.
“We’re trying to figure out what is that spot where it can serve both of those purposes without diminishing it’s ability to serve either,” Janowitz said.
Citizen concerns persist
Concerned citizen Warren Peck doesn’t know how the consultants would be comfortable finalizing tender-ready drawings with the concerns he’s hearing about functionality and user requirements.
“Haste makes waste,” he said, and there are several aspects of the project he finds “disconcerting.”
Pierre Clouthier said the public wasn’t brought in soon enough and the consultation process is a “charade.” He doesn’t believe any more decisions should be made regarding the new complex until a new council is elected.
Technically and legally, Clouthier said, the current council has the right to make the decision, but not morally. Clouthier said they’ve “usurped” their mandate.
Warden Diana Brothers responded that there was a motion put on the floor at the last council session to wait for a new council but that was defeated. The consultant has told them the municipality “did a fairly good job” with public consultations and they’ve been urged by one village commission chairperson to get the job done.
Brothers said council and the municipality have been working toward establishing a new municipal complex for at least two council terms and doesn’t understand the sentiment that it’s being rushed.