City Council

City Hall Plaza Project - Facts & Figures You Should Know

What is the City Hall Plaza Project?

The name of the project encompasses the current City Hall, a new facility, the current Library, and the public spaces in and around these facilities.

The proposed new facility is a three-storey 43,594 square foot building with atria space and is designed to continue offering quality services and programs to residents, the business community and visitors. It is intended to house the offices of the Mayor and Council, City Manager, Corporate Services, Community & Protective Services and Planning & Engineering.

The facility will be designed to use sustainable design features and strategies aimed at achieving a LEED® Gold standard and it will respect and reflect the historic buildings in the area.

Why is a new civic building needed?

Simply speaking, we are out of space at City Hall. Most offices in the current City Hall are under-sized and do not meet today’s standard for space requirements and functionality. We have out-grown the space that was built 38 years ago and some staff are doubled up in one work station. In addition, Community & Protective Services has been housed for 23 years in what was supposed to be temporary leased space.

Not only will a new civic building address the need for more space, the project will: act as a catalyst and a key step in supporting downtown revitalization; be a place for the community to gather in celebration; accommodate the future growth needs of the City to a population threshold of 25,000 to 30,000 residents; and, demonstrate the City’s position as a future leader in the region.

What will happen to the existing City Hall if a new civic facility is built?

The existing City Hall will not be demolished or mothballed. It will be used to house the City’s Information Systems (IS) Services and staff, archival data filing and storage, and space will be available to accommodate approximately 6-8 other staff members. The existing Council Chambers and meeting rooms will continue to be used.

Is it true that the number of City staff is expected to double in the next 20 years and that is why a new civic building is required?

No, this is not the case. If the new facility is built, it will be home to approximately 70 employees, with additional space for approximately 30 employees as the population increases to 25,000 to 30,000 people.

How much will the project cost?

City Council has identified a $20 million to $25 million funding envelope for the project. Preliminary cost estimates for the concept presently under consideration total approximately $21.7 million of which $14 million is for the facility itself. The remaining $7.7 million is to cover fees, design contingency, construction contingency, and escalation costs should this full amount be required to meet these costs. The cost to achieve a LEED® Gold standard needs to be factored in and added to the above.

How will the project be paid for or funded?

No tax increase will be needed to pay for this project. Due to other debentures being paid in full and therefore “coming off the books”, and the final payment to Strathcona County as our commitment to the Boundary Accord Agreement being made in 2011, the City has the financial means to make the debenture payments for this project without any tax increase to taxpayers.

With the debenture payments required to fund the project, does this mean the City won’t be able to pay for other costly capital projects in the future?

No, it does not mean this. In addition to the typical grants and revenue sources available to the municipality, two other major sources of revenue will be available to the City to help pay for important capital projects and initiatives. These two sources of additional revenue are: the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) - $48.7 million over 10 years; and, the Federal Gas Tax funding - $3.3 million over 8 years.

Did City Council consider any other options other than the one currently being proposed?

Yes, they did. In doing so, the conclusion was that there is no current building or space available in the Downtown core that will meet the desired goals and outcomes referenced above. Any possible short-term “fixes” or solutions are exactly that, short-term and temporary; they do nothing at all to address the long-term future needs and aspirations of the City.

In the very early stages of identifying options for a project, Council of the day examined the option of adding another floor to the existing City Hall. As noted above, the 38-year old building is under-sized and does not meet today's standard for space requirements and functionality. Issues also exist in parts of the building related to the lack of ease of access from one floor to the next and to washroom facilities, especially for people with special mobility needs. It was determined that the addition of another floor to the existing City Hall would not be a wise expenditure in what, for all intents and purposes, is an inefficient building designed originally in part for a different purpose and function.

Note: This Question and Answer information bulletin may be updated from time to time.

For more information, please feel free to contact any member of Council or attend any one of our Conversation Cafes. Click HERE for the dates and times to drop by. You can also send your comments and questions to info@fortsask.ca.

For a copy of the City Hall Plaza Project Open House Presentation (Oct. 29/08), click HERE.

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