Council here has approved spending up to $40,000 to renovate the basement of the Mapleton administration centre to create office space for the building department.
In a report to council at the Jan. 28 meeting, CAO Patty Sinnamon said the need for additional office space has been under discussion for several years.
“Several options have been explored including adding on to the administration building or putting offices in the basement,” states the report, which also indicates consideration was given as to whether secondary access was required in order to locate offices in the basement, as well as considerations for accessibility.
“We have determined through our acting chief building official, that it would not be necessary to put in a secondary access,” stated Sinnamon, adding there is ample space in the former emergency management room to construct two offices and a reception area.
The estimated cost to finish one side of the basement is $34,500.
“Staff have budgeted $40,000 for this project, but are confident it would cost well below that. The township facilities maintenance manager is recommending that a foam insulation be used. It would then be necessary to drywall all outside walls, which would add $3,800 to the overall cost,” the report explains.
The renovation will allow for space upstairs for economic development activities. The former building offices would be reverted back to a meeting room. The renovation is also expected to provide better access to files for building department staff.
With funds for the project slated to come out of administration reserves, Sinnamon said the project would not affect the tax rate in the 2014 budget.
She noted the basement option is “much less expensive” than putting an addition on the building and considerable work has recently been done in the basement in order to remedy mould and water problems.
“I’m fairly confident that our water problems are looked after. We just spent $183,000 on mould and water problems.”
Later in the meeting, council approved the transfer of $184,666 from administration reserve funds to cover the cost of recently-completed basement mould removal and building drainage repairs.
