BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1510 West

Renovations and construction of an addition took about 18 months to complete and surpassed its $6.7-million budget by a bit, but when Baie d’Urfé town hall reopens next week, it will be the prelude to a long-awaited event that is set for Dec. 10 – the return of council meetings at the historic building with a refurbished iconic front arch.

 “I can’t wait to invite our citizens back,” said Baie d’Urfé Mayor Heidi Ektvedt last week.

Although the building has always served as a town hall since it was donated to the municipality more than a century ago, in 1912, it has been almost two decades since town council meetings were held there. With much of the space in the charming former country home used for office space, there was not enough room to accommodate public meetings.

But all that is part of the building’s history, too, now. With a new section added to the rear of the original building, Baie d’Urfé’s refurbished town hall offers a modern and spacious public meeting room that overlooks Lake St. Louis.

“It flows very well from the old to the new,” said Ektvedt, referring to how the extension of the building blends in both style and scope with the original structure.

Although the extension was a major part of the project, a number of renovations were carried out to the historic building, including reconfiguring the existing space, restoration of original features, like the arch on the front façade of the building, new windows, improving the building’s insulation and the addition of an elevator to make the structure accessible to all.

Part of the $6.7-million price tag was covered by a $4.485-million provincial grant. The remainder was financed by the town’s accumulated surplus.

Referring to the project as a “coup de coeur,” Ektvedt said the renovation holds sentimental significance.

“This is what it was meant to be – a small town welcoming its citizens,” Ektvedt said, explaining that the building is one of the oldest town halls in Quebec that is still used in that capacity.

In fact, maintaining the building as a town hall was part of the conditions imposed by James Morgan, who donated the building to the town in the early years of the last century.

Although it has always maintained that vocation, the old building only housed offices, as it did not have enough room to accommodate a public meeting space. Given the limitations, for almost two decades council meetings were held in other community buildings, including the Whiteside Taylor Centre.

The new town hall will be officially inaugurated on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 3 p.m., with an open house set for Saturday, Dec. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m., where residents will be able to tour the building. The following Tuesday, Dec. 10, the town will hold its first council meeting in the space.