North Battleford City Council are looking at moving meetings to the Don Ross Centre. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Improved accessibility

City considering moving council meetings to Don Ross Centre

Oct 26, 2021 | 6:00 AM

The City of North Battleford is looking at moving its council meetings to the Don Ross Centre at some point in the future.

Council authorized administration to begin the design work on a new council chamber in Room 107 at the Don Ross Centre. The room will be prepared to allow for in-person council meetings to be held there as soon as the audio and visual systems can be installed and the pandemic numbers allow.

If the project were to go ahead the total estimate for the whole initiative would be roughly about $250,000 over the next two years.

City Manager Randy Patrick said council can look at the matter more formally at budget time but start the planning work now. Council will be able to look at the proposal again for approval after the design work is complete.

The room will need to be carpeted to improve the acoustics. As well it will need to be fitted with the proper equipment for audio-video recording of meetings. Council’s desks would need to be rebuilt for the space.

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As another positive, the Don Ross Centre can accommodate accessibility issues as there is an elevator located near the proposed chamber entrance for those wishing to attend the meetings.

Patrick said in his report “ideally, the room should be designed to last for 20 to 25 years.”

The issue came up as the current council chambers at City Hall are too small for all of council to meet in person, while following COVID-19 social distancing protocols.

There is also a problem with public access, as the old chambers can only be reached by climbing a flight of stairs in a narrow stairwell. Individuals with mobility issues would not be able to access the site.

Coun. Kelli Hawtin said she has long supported having a council chamber that would be accessible to everyone.

“It is certainly less expensive and more feasible than trying to put an elevator into City Hall for example,” she said.

Council has been temporarily holding its meetings at the Chapel Gallery during the pandemic, but the art gallery reopened in October for scheduled shows so council had to leave the site. Currently, meetings are taking place solely online via Zoom.

Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow