INNISFAIL – The glitzy new town hall - reshaped, expanded and modernized - is officially open after two and a half years of planning and construction.
The new facility, constructed by reshaping the interior of the old civic building and repurposing the empty space of the long closed former fire hall, was unveiled on Oct. 10 in a hour-long early evening ceremony, which included meet and greet time between citizens and current and past town officials.
Brian Spiller, the incumbent mayor seeking reelection on Oct. 16, officially declared the revitalized facility, which cost $2.8 million to modernize, open for business.
“It's completion marks a proud moment for all of us. The building, and more importantly the people within it, are now well-equipped to lead Innisfail into the future,” said Spiller in a brief speech before unveiling a plaque with the names of all council members who had served from 2013 to the Oct. 16 election.
“Together they demonstrate a strong statement of the town's ambition of moving forward.”
Spiller said the expanded space throughout the building is more inviting and welcoming for the community.
He specifically noted the building has a bigger lobby area for citizens to conduct business with the town, and a larger council chamber that is equipped with full 21st century technology and offering an expanded public gallery.
The old council chamber on the east side of the building has been turned into a storage room.
“We are well set up for another 20 to 25 years, and that would be a lot of growth in that period in order for us to expand the building again,” said Spiller, who mingled with citizens and staff after his declaration and before the regular council meeting.
“But we still have ample land space in the back side of the building and if we moved bylaw out we could have another 800 to 1,000 square feet up there too.”
The long awaited unveiling took place before a score of citizens, and many current and past staff members, including former chief administrative officer Helen Dietz who was given much of the credit for ensuring the success of the project.
Ron McGinnis, an Innisfailian for all of his 75 years, said the revitalized civic administration building is a far cry from what the town had when he was growing up.
“All we had (then) was a little office for meetings and stuff but now they got all kinds of room. I like the atmosphere. Everything seems to be nice with the way they got council set up,” said McGinnis, adding he had no issue with the $2.8 million price tag. “If it was required, which I think probably was, it will serve for quite a few years, and now they won't have to go and build any more for another 50 years.”
Spiller added after his speech that while the building is “nice, grand but not too grandeur”, it was constructed with no borrowed money.
Heather Whymark, the director of corporate services, confirmed the total $2.8 million cost for the modernization project was 75 per cent paid for by a provincial Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) grant while the remaining 25 per cent was covered under the Federal Gas Tax Fund.
Craig Teal, the town's former director of planning and operational services, said he liked the end result of the project, including the enhanced new council chambers, which he said was far more functional for staff and council to hear and view public presentations.
“It is very much a step up and a dramatic improvement in terms of the quality and physical amount of space for employees, which was getting a little bit comical in the old set up,” said Teal, who is now the director of Parkland Community Planning Services.
“Certainly, it is way more presentable in terms of public image coming into what is often the first foot forward for the community, newcomers or visiting dignitaries. It is definitely a nice retooling of the old building.”
Craig Teal, the town's former director of planning and operational services
"Certainly, it is way more presentable in terms of public image coming into what is often the first foot forward for the community, newcomers or visiting dignitaries. It is definitely a nice retooling of the old building."
