The finishing touches are almost in place at the new town hall.
Town of Bonnyville staff expects to move their belongings into the new $8.8-million facility in the last week of February. If they remain on schedule, the building's doors will open to the public in early March.
Originally, the project was set to wrap-up last August after breaking ground in the spring. Due to weather-related delays, finishing touches are still being made.
“We're going to start moving in at the end of this month, and we intend to be open for business on Monday, March 5. There will be a grand opening ceremony, but we're going to plan that at a later date,” detailed assistant CAO Bill Rogers.
Located next to the old town hall, the new facility is complete with larger chambers and public meeting areas. The additional space provides council and administration with some much-needed wiggle room.
“This is going to be very exciting. Not so much for council, but for town staff and the public. In terms of how the public is serviced, offices, and dealing with clutter, I think it's going to be a really pleasant change,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewski. “It's going to be a lot more professional and it's long overdue.”
The cost of the project was set by Capital Projects, the contract company for the facility, at about $8.8-million. So far, the town has remained within that dollar-range.
As of the official opening, all services offered within the new town hall, including the upgraded public gathering spaces, will be available.
In an effort to reduce waste from the old facility, residents will have the chance to get their hands on anything that doesn't make the move.
Administration hopes to complete this process before construction season begins, allowing demolition to take place early in the spring.
“Council intends to hold a public event where everything that is unclaimed from the old town hall will be available. That can be anything from old furnishings or finishes to doors. We don't know exactly how that's going to work yet, but we want to complete that by the end of March,” Rogers noted.
Originally, the town hoped to move into the new facility prior to the end of last year. While the process was delayed, council and administration are excited to be moving into a completed building.
With a modern look, more options for community events, and plenty of room to work with, town staff can't wait to move into their new home.
“Our plan has always been to wait until the building was 100 per cent finished to move in. We're very close to that now,” explained Rogers. “It's fantastic. We've been busting at the seams for years now. The old building did its job, but this new one will serve us for years to come. We're quite excited.”