$1.4M price tag for Charlottetown hall renovations sparks concern among city councillors
CBC
The City of Charlottetown is spending $1.4 million to renovate a small community hall in East Royalty, and the price tag is sparking concern among some city councillors.
The historic Heartz Hall, which dates back to the year 1920, had to be moved slightly when St. Peters Road was widened and a roundabout was put in. City council voted to pay for the relocation, as well as major renovations.
The spending was split into two phases. The first round of work took place about a year ago and cost $400,000. The second contract, for extensive interior work, came in at close to $1 million.
Two Charlottetown councillors voted against the most recent round of spending, including Bob Doiron.
"Council said that we were just going to put it on a foundation, and turn it so it wouldn't be hit with snow removal," he told CBC News.
"It went from a $400,000 to a $500,000 or $600,000 project."
Doiron said that is a normal cost overrun, but then he heard about more work that needed to be done.
"All of a sudden, you know, we were told that it needed a whole new makeover, so then, you know, it comes again in front of council and it's a big expenditure," he said.
"It just seems that we're piecemealing things where we'll get a little bit of, you know, go ahead for council to do something, and then all of a sudden it just escalates."
Doiron said he's not sure if the $1.4 million the city is paying is worth the effort for a building that small.
"For a million and a half, we probably could have built a new building, you know, to mirror that old one."
Councillor Mitch Tweel, who is the chair of Charlottetown's public service committee, voted for the second round of funding, but said no one expected the magnitude of the costs.
"When people are concerned about the total cost of this project, I share the same concerns as well," he said.
"And then you have to ask the fundamental question, how far do you go with historical buildings that have heritage significance? And, you know, that philosophical debate takes place at city hall on an ongoing basis. The Irving oil station is no different."
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