$1.5-million in grants are being used to pay for renovations and safety upgrades in Cranbrook’s City Hall.
City officials said work would revitalize the third floor of the building, which has been out of commission for over 40 years due to asbestos, lead paint and structural issues.
The renovations will give Cranbrook use of three more offices and a common space, which officials said will improve staffing capacity issues and the centralization of city services.
The project also includes hazardous material removal in the council chambers, which was sealed into the ceiling many years ago. A third part of the upgrades will improve electrical components to allow for future work on the building’s HVAC system. HVAC upgrades will be funded separately from this round of grants.
Work on the renovations is expected to start in the fall of this year and wrap up by December of 2023.
“Without this grant, the much-needed repairs to the old, heritage building that is City Hall would not be possible without impacting the taxes of our residents and businesses,” said Mayor Lee Pratt. “On behalf of the City, I am grateful for the financial commitment to this project from both the Government of Canada and the Province of B.C.”
Cranbrook’s City Hall finished construction in 1912 and has been renovated and upgraded ever since to fit the needs of the growing community.
More: Cranbrook History: Marking 110 years since City Hall’s construction (April 30, 2021)
A total of $1.51-million was given to the city, with over $1.2-million from the federal government’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s – COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream and a further grant worth more than $300,000 from the provincial government.
“These long-overdue renovations to Cranbrook’s City Hall building bring multiple benefits to the community, opening up existing space so staff can better serve the public, and making important health and safety updates to this historic building so people can continue to enjoy it for years to come,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs.
More: Provincial and federal governments invest in Kootenay infrastructure (July 19, 2021)