This page was exported from King Weekly Sentinel [ https://kingsentinel.com ]
Export date: Thu Mar 28 11:07:58 2024 / +0000 GMT

Cost of new municipal building rises



Back in 2013, I expressed the opinion in a letter to the King Weekly Sentinel that the estimate of between $11 and $13 million to convert Holy Name School into a new municipal building was difficult to comprehend.

Since my letter our elected officials have decided that it would be more prudent to completely demolish the building and start from scratch. Consequently, the Township spent around $750,000 to demolish the school and take out the septic system. This, and the $3-million purchase price plus the subsequent planning and design costs will have, I'm sure, substantially raised the debt load.

Now the latest report is that the new municipal building will cost in the region of $21.5-million. In 2013, the estimated cost was difficult to comprehend. In 2016, it's simply unconscionable!

I have the following questions:

• How can one justify the immensity of this undertaking in a community with a current population of under 25,000 people? (Yes, I am very aware it will grow.)

• How is this project to be fully financed?

• How specifically will King residents (who don't work for the Township) benefit from this project?

• What has happened to preserving King Township's unique character? Anyone driving through King City will see that our unique character is fast disappearing. The new municipal building will be a continuation of the         excesses we are witnessing.

This proposed expenditure could be directed towards more pressing needs. The state of many roads in the township is abominable. The availability of affordable housing is negligible while appropriate housing for seniors looking to downsize within King is non-existent.

It is a great pity that more energy and resources are not being expended on such critical issues.

Mike Shackleford

Schomberg

 

 


Post date: 2016-12-21 10:26:09
Post date GMT: 2016-12-21 15:26:09
Post modified date: 2017-06-07 12:53:35
Post modified date GMT: 2017-06-07 16:53:35

Powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin. MS Word saving format developed by gVectors Team www.gVectors.com