Town staff worked with LPA architecture firm to conduct Phase I of a Facility Utilization Study that evaluated Town facilities, including the Conference and Theatre Centre, Finance building, Central Fire Station, Fire Station 2, Police and Courts building, Service Center, and Town Hall. The findings were presented at the City Council meeting on April 14, 2020.
During that presentation, Council asked staff to continue the study in a second phase and consider the following:
- Financial Analysis
- What is the tipping point of building new versus modernizing facilities?
- What is the most economical plan over the next 40-50 years?
- How does this fit into the Transit Oriented Development plans?
- Development of a strategy for each facility.
- Exploration of the Public-Private Partnership (P3) option for funding.
The City Council approved an agreement with MPI Architects to conduct Phase II of the Facility Utilization Study on January 11, 2022. In Phase II of the study, MPI was to capitalize on the data collected in Phase I and provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) financial analysis and strategy for three concepts:
- The Town remaining in existing facilities and reorganizing the departments with facility updates to meet current needs and codes.
- Expanding existing facilities to meet current and future needs.
- Providing rough square footage requirements for a new City Center to bring several departments and functions into a more traditional City Hall facility.
The second phase also included:
- Addressing how the Town will improve safety in facilities during a pandemic-like situation.
- Relocating Economic Development and Tourism to a new facility with the closing of the TreeHouse location.
As we neared the completion of Phase II, the lead architect on the project, Erica Bish, left MPI and accepted a position with another firm, TSK. The remaining team from MPI was not sufficiently well versed with the study to continue with the presentation. As such, staff asked Ms. Bish to finalize the presentation and present the findings to maintain the continuity of the principal architect who conducted the study.
Staff will present the findings of the facility study along with three options for the Council to consider: 1) Renovation of Existing Facilities, 2) Building Three New Facilitities and repurposing others, and 3) Continue to Maintain Existing Facilities. Staff will answer any questions, and request direction from the City Council.
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