Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Municipal employees in Ormstown are moving office for a few weeks while important renovation work is carried out in the town hall.

Work began on February 26 to improve accessibility for individuals with reduced mobility and to address plumbing, ventilation, and electrical issues from the building’s initial construction.

The renovations are designed to meet health and safety standards including the installation of a lift that will allow access to the basement, and to ensure a healthy work environment for municipal staff.

“Many people are surprised that work needs to be done on City Hall, which was built less than ten years ago. And I understand them,” says Ormstown’s mayor, Christine McAleer.

“Currently, we have a large basement that is of little use because it is not accessible. The archive room is also located in the basement, and the ventilation is not optimized for the preservation of documents,” she adds, noting that once the work is completed, all citizens will be able to enjoy the town hall.

Ormstown director general Daniel Leduc confirms the renovations were included as part of the 2025-2027 three-year capital investment program, which was approved by the municipal council in December. He says the $550,000 budget represents less than four per cent of the total investments planned by the municipality over the next three years, which include significant road, sewer and drinking water expenditures.

“This year we are putting some money into the town hall and the recreation centre,” he says, noting the upgrades are not a luxury. “The objective is to make it a real community building … A town hall that is well-equipped and fully functional to meet the needs of the community, which it presently does not.”

The floor in the recreation centre is being refurbished at an estimated cost of around $60,000.

The municipality expects the renovation work to be completed by mid-April. In the meantime, municipal employees will be temporarily relocated to the fire station, while those who work in reception will move to the library so they remain accessible to the public.

Leduc says that he looked into having the work done after business hours to reduce the impact on municipal employees, but it was significantly more expensive.

Municipal council meetings will not be affected and will take place as scheduled on March 3 and April 7 at the town hall.