The City of Castlegar is hiring an architectural consultant to look at how the city can reconfigure spaces to accommodate current and future staff.
Basically, the city is running out of functional work spaces.
As the community grows, city staffing has also grown in order to maintain service levels.
A staff report presented at the March 18 Committee of the Whole meeting says that while these new employees have been able to be reasonably accommodated in City Hall and Civic Works, the need for additional work spaces will continue to expand.
CAO Chris Barlow added that the city has already moved a lot of offices around “trying to pack people in” and has quite a few employees sharing offices.
The contract was awarded to a Victoria firm, Studio 531 Architects Inc., for $66,400. The funding for the project was approved in the city’s 2024 budget.
The office needs assessment will review the city’s office spaces at City Hall, Civic Works, the Fire Hall, and potentially a few other locations such as the treatment plant or pump station and develop concept plans complete with cost estimates. The consultant has been asked to produce options that optimize existing space, encourage operational efficiencies, and address current and future workspace needs.
Councilor Cherryl MacLeod questioned the $66,000 price tag after hearing complaints from local residents.
“We have to engage a qualified professional that is versed in facilities and spaces because there’s a lot more to it than just banging up some walls,” said the city’s director of municipal services, Chris Hallam. “You have to look at HVAC systems electrical systems, there is building code you have to follow.”
Barlow added, “It’s just proper planning, and unfortunately right now it costs a lot of money for consultants.”
Adoption of the contract is scheduled for April 2.
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