The City of Delta has issued a request for bids for a contractor to undertake repairs at city hall in Ladner.
The city is looking to remove and replace expansion joints around the building that have failed, waterproof the surrounding concrete, as well as minor related works such as concrete repair and the application of sealant to waterproof railing bases.
Council recently received a staff update on the ongoing upgrades and renovations to the facility.
The report notes that several areas of the facility “are in need of critical maintenance and updating to ensure continued provision of services to the community.”
Over the coming months, staff will progress with work on the council chambers, an addition to the city hall front entrance/vestibule, as well as the establishment of an information kiosk and office renovations to enhance space efficiencies.
The report notes that the development of an entrance vestibule space shifts the public point of entry closer to the front courtyard area and creates an easily differentiated entranceway to the building.
The city has retained an architect who is working to complete the detailed design, with the goal of commencing construction in summer 2024 with completion by this fall.
The estimated cost of that project is $1.2 million, however a more precise cost will be known at the completion of detailed design, the report notes.
When it comes to the council chambers, critical maintenance is required to address the “deteriorated condition” of seating, glass work, flooring and desktops, the report notes, adding that the changes will bring a “modestly improved ambience” for council meetings and enhance the functionality for meeting participants and staff.
The report also notes that the artist glass display that separates council chambers from the lobby, initially installed about 1991 when City Hall was built, has failed.
Staff will be removing the artwork and installing new glasswork, a replacement that will provide natural light into the chambers while still providing an appropriate level of privacy and shading for when the room is in use for meetings.
The overall cost of the council chambers improvements is estimated at $150,000. Improvements are to be completed over the next six months, subject to supply availability, and will be timed for when the room is not in use.
As far as operational requirements of city hall, the report notes that a number of office renovations are being completed in the facility as well as the adjacent annex building, which was formerly leased to Fraser Health.
Those changes include the creation of additional offices for the Parks Recreation and Culture Department, enhancements to the annex to accommodate Human Resources and Bylaw Services as well as an improved public interface and meeting space and renovations to the Communications and Capital Project team areas in the northwest corner. The office renovations are estimated to have a $400,000 price tag.
The city last year issued a request for proposals for a qualified consultant experienced in space planning to undertake an assessment of workspace needs for the employee complement that currently works out of the Municipal Hall building in the Ladner Civic Precinct.
