Grey Highlands council has approved another $44,000 in repair work at Kimberley Hall.
At its meeting on May 15, council unanimously gave the thumbs up to a staff report outlining the need to spend more money to repair Kimberley Hall. The project has been underway for some time, with $85,000 initially approved in the 2024 budget.
The municipality closed the hall/library branch to complete repairs to the building’s brick facade
When the bricks were removed for the repair work, the construction firm found the wood walls under the bricks needed to be shored up. Portions of the wood had been sitting on the soil and were rotting.
These repairs were deemed critical and Grey Highlands CAO Karen Govan, under delegated authority, approved $25,000 for the work to happen immediately. Council subsequently approved funding this work from the municipality’s asset management reserve.
“It’s not surprising that we took the bricks out and found other things that need to be done,” said Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen. “It’s good we’re getting this done.”
The contractors on the job also recommended the installation of frost-protected walls at a cost of $9,000. The contractors also discovered that a nameplate monument on the front of Kimberley Hall had been installed on the building without property structural support. The contractors recommended the nameplate not be reinstalled at its original location, but instead be moved to a new location on the grounds of the hall. This work was estimated to cost $10,000.
Council approved both additions to the project to use funding from the asset management reserve.
“It’s important to keep an eye on the structural integrity of Kimberley Hall. It’s an important asset,” said Nielsen.
