Civic Centre facelift to begin next week

NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF SAULT STE MARIE
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The City of Sault Ste. Marie advises residents that beginning next week, contractors will be on site to start the Civic Centre windows and cladding project.

The construction is scheduled to last approximately one year during which time, there will be disruptions upon entering and exiting the building. Visitors are urged to follow designated signage and way finding directions during this temporary reconstruction project.

The primary purpose for reconstruction is to protect the existing 45-year-old structure from further degradation. Under the 2015 Asset Management Plan, the replacement of the exterior metal panels and windows on the Civic Centre was identified as a priority.

The 2015 Cladding Refurbishment Feasibility Study stated that major issues with the existing systems included metal panel support deterioration, air and water barrier deficiencies and penetration, an inability to source new windows of the same colour as the existing, and numerous seal failures in insulated windows. The study recommended full replacement as soon as possible, but no later than 2018.

The project will be funded using long-term debt and will not incrementally increase the City’s tax levy. As required by the province, the City must have an asset management plan that guides the municipality on how needed repairs and upgrades are prioritized for its buildings and facilities over a 25-year horizon.

Annually, an allocation within the budget funds the asset management plan that is used to make repairs, improvement and replace equipment. A portion of this annual amount will be used to finance the loan.

As construction progresses throughout the year, every effort will be made to communicate updates to the community as appropriate. The City of Sault Ste. Marie thanks residents for their patience and understanding during this temporary construction and look forward to serving you.

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