Rutland Hall makeover

Photo: New Town Planning

More renovations are in the offing for decades-old Rutland Centennial Hall.

The Rutland Park Society, which operates the hall, is seeking a development permit for additional renovations and expansion.

Staff say the renos are relatively modest, but will make the hall more usable and attractive.

A variance to increase the overall site coverage of the property to more than 82 per cent is being requested, and is recommended by staff. The change, which is more than the bylaw maximum of 60 per cent, would accommodate additional parking.

Planned updates to the hall include:

• Addition of a second floor to the western section of the building.
• Addition of 13 parking spaces.
• Reformatting of the west side of the site to be used as a drop-off area and disabled parking.
• Landscaping overhaul to improve aesthetics.
• Renovations of interior rooms.

The society has grant money from the Western Diversification Fund, along with $800,000 it received from the city when a portion of the property between the hall and Centennial Park was sold for an extension to Shephard Road.

There were plans to raze the building and construct a new hall, which led to a power struggle within the society. The new society board, which has also been shrouded in controversy, is going ahead with renovations as opposed to a total rebuild.