COMMUNITY CENTRE RENEWAL

UPDATE - OCTOBER 2012

by Mayor and Council

Over the past two months, the architect has been preparing detailed plans for the Community Centre Renewal project which will enable the issuance of a building permit.  Specialist consultants have undertaken detailed surveys of the site and completed reports which have provided a high level of detailed information enabling the project plan and costs to be fine-tuned.  All this work means that the project can move on to the next stage, which is the issue of tenders.  Once tenders have been received, a construction manager will be selected by the end of the year.  The project is on track to commence construction in March, with a scheduled completion in the Fall 2013. 

To ensure that the necessary level of funds is available to proceed with the project, it is also necessary to obtain a loan authorization in order to allow the Village to borrow long-term funds from the Municipal Finance Authority.  This process requires the Municipality to seek the approval of the voters before it can proceed, and is overseen by the Provincial Government in Victoria.  The Municipality will seek the approval of the voters via a process which enables them to register their objection to the borrowing.  If more than 10% of eligible voters disagree with the plan to borrow, the Municipality must either undertake a referendum or revise its plans for the project to proceed. 

Shortly you will see notices posted of the Municipality’s intention to seek authorization to borrow up to $700,000.  These funds will be used toward the construction costs of both Phase 1 (Community Hall) and Phase 2 (Municipal Services, Council Chambers and Community Meeting area), though the decision to proceed with Phase 2 will not be made until after tenders have been received.  The posted notices will explain how to register your objection.  To assist you in making an informed decision, here are the answers to some questions you may have about the project and the proposed borrowing:

How will this project benefit the community?

Community consultation has illustrated the extent to which a Community Centre is seen as a vital and valuable asset to the Village.  By providing a central amenity which draws all elements of the community together, the Hall provides a focal point which helps make Lions Bay a community rather than a neighbourhood.  

The renewal will refurbish the existing kitchen and washrooms.  Two new spaces will be created on the second floor: a casual “family room” space for reading, internet use and informal meetings and a larger room with a walkout deck which will be ideal for small functions, meetings and yoga/dance/music/theatre/health classes and seniors’ activities.  There will also be a small kitchen area on the second floor.  There will be a new recreation room on the ground floor where the storage shed is.  This space will have direct outdoor access and will be ideal for art/music classes, children’s activities, or as a meeting space.  A new pitched roof will provide attic space for the storage of items currently kept in the shed and the Hall, Village records and Historical Archives.  A new high-efficiency HVAC system will replace the aging and costly oil furnaces, and additional windows and insulation will bring the Hall up to modern energy efficiency standards. 

The current office building will be substantially renewed to address structural, safety and health issues, and the Council Chambers will be relocated to a new upper floor in meeting chambers for use by the community, which can be divided for smaller meetings or events. These chambers, together, or divided, will be available for scheduling by community groups, meetings, events and interest groups.  The building will be totally accessible with a central staircase, where chambers currently are and a small elevator linking the ground floor office with the upper floors and then access through to the library.  The administrative space with the reception counter will be open to this central connecting space. 

The renewal provides the opportunity to landscape the site and fund-raising will be initiated to support some of the more cosmetic features such as a firepit.

The new community spaces will enable a wider range of activities to be supported. The facilities provided will enable activities to be targeted at currently under-represented elements of the community such as older children and seniors.  By staying within the same building footprint and renewing rather than replacing wherever possible, Council feels that the current plan represents the most fiscally responsible way forward to safeguard the facility for the service and enjoyment of the community for the next 20+ years. 

How much is this whole project going to cost?

The recent award of a $440,343 BC Community Recreation Program grant and the Village’s capacity for borrowing within the municipal budget have enabled the current Council to establish a feasible plan to renew the existing facilities within a modest scope and budget.  Based on the information known to date, Council has developed a range for the estimated cost of completing Phase 1 and 2.  The Village is in the final process of obtaining detailed drawings for Phase 2.  Once complete, the drawings will be submitted for tender.  In order to support a competitive bidding process, Council has not publicly released the cost estimates.  Once the tenders have been received, Council will be in a position to determine whether the project falls within the estimated range and whether it should proceed. 

To fund the project, Council intends to use a combination of grants, reserves, borrowing and fundraising.  Council has committed to spending $200,000 from reserves in the current 5 Year Plan.  The Village has applied for an additional grant under the Western Economic Diversification Canada – Community Infrastructure Improvement program and will be notified of the status of its application in November, 2012.  If successful, the Village will match this grant from reserves.

Fund raising has not yet commenced but past experience has shown the generosity and resourcefulness of the Village’s residents in raising funds for community projects. 

How much will this level of borrowing impact my taxes?

The impact on your taxes will depend on the amount of funds borrowed.  If approved and adopted, Bylaw No 452. Community Centre Renewal Loan Authorization Bylaw, 2012 would allow the Village to borrow up to $700,000 to fund the Community Centre renewal.

The loan will have a 20 year term.  The Municipal Finance Authority rate for the first 10 years is currently at 2.90%.  At the end of 10 years, a new rate is established.  Should the Village need to borrow the full amount authorized by the bylaw, this would result in an annual repayment of $44,000.  The following table outlines a projection of the impact on taxes based on the 2012 BC Assessment property values:-

Why do we need Phase 2?

The building which currently houses the Village Office and Council Chambers was originally the storage shed for the Village fire trucks.  The building is in urgent need of repair and there are some serious health and safety considerations which need to be addressed.  The Phase 2 plan is to renovate and expand the current area to bring the building up to the appropriate safety standards, expand the number of public spaces available for meetings and activities, and integrate the area into the adjacent building to provide a single Community Centre Building which will support access for all to the upper floor and to the library area via a staircase and small elevator. 

Couldn’t we just do Phase 1 now and do Phase 2 later?

Council, in consultation with the Architect and Oversight Committee, has determined that, by completing Phase 1 and 2 at the same time, with the construction crew already on site, the project will realise considerable financial and time savings.  

Can the funds borrowed under the loan authorization bylaw be repurposed?

No.  The lending process is very strictly controlled by the Province.  We can only use the funds borrowed for the purpose that we stated at the outset.  If the Loan Authorization goes ahead, and the funds are not subsequently needed, the borrowing will not be drawn down.

What is the Alternative Approval Process?

Legally, municipalities must consult their electorate if they wish to borrow money.  To avoid the expense and delay that a referendum can entail, the municipality can opt to use an Alternative Approval process which seeks to establish if a proposal is supported by 90% or more of the electorate.  If less than 10% of the electorate object to the borrowing proposal then the municipality can proceed. This process was used in 2006.  Council of the day was authorized to borrow $1.3M, but used only $250,000.

What will happen if 10% or more of the electorate register their objection?

If the borrowing is not approved through the Alternative Approval Process, Council will have to decide whether to initiate a referendum, de-scope the project so that less borrowing is required and initiate a new borrowing authorization process, or abandon plans to renovate the Hall.  In any event, the commencement of any work on would be considerably delayed. 

Need to know more?

Email:                Send your questions to office@lionsbay.ca

Phone:              Call the Village Office on 604.921.9333

In person:          Visit the Village Office to view the architect’s drawings and plans

Public Information Meeting

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012

On Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012, Mayor and Council, together with the Community Centre Architect presented the latest information regarding the Community Centre Renewal project to a public meeting held at the Village Hall.  The architect presented detailed drawings of the renewal design.  Mayor Broughton gave an overview of the funding of the project and provided details of the municipal borrowing process, including the Alternative Approval Process.  Residents had the opportunity to ask questions regarding both the design and the financial status of the project.

A copy of the PowerPoint presentation used at this meeting can be viewed here.