Town hall needs replacing

Photo: Town of Osoyoos

Osoyoos Town Hall is crumbling, and it will likely make more sense to replace rather than renovate, council will hear Monday.

An assessment of the municipality’s 50-plus-year-old headquarters will go before council on Monday, highlighting several structural, mechanical and architectural health and safety issues.

“The overall age of the building is such that it has exceeded its anticipated life span, and now is a critical time to decide on the future direction for this facility,” the report from David Nairne and Associates says.

“It is our opinion that it is not feasible to initiate a major renovation to the existing Town Hall building due to the anticipated scope of work, magnitude of cost and disruption that would be involved,” the report continues.

There is significant rot in the floor framing of northwest corner of the building and evidence of water ingress into the wall on the west side of the old fire hall.

Major fire-safety and ventilation upgrades are also needed and there is the possibility of mould and asbestos contamination throughout the building.

The report recommends the town start saving money for a new building that would be constructed five years from now at a cost roughly estimated at $3.5M.

Even if the town moves forward with replacing the building, the current town hall needs at minimum, $660,000 in work over the next five years.

Osoyoos councillors will discuss the report during their morning session on Monday.