The Yorkton's Community Development, Parks and Recreation request to Yorkton Council for temporary office space in the Godfrey Dean Centre was tabled at the March 28 meeting of Council, pending further information.
At the March 28 meeting Darcy McLeod, Director of Community Development, Parks and Recreation explained, "As our community grows so do the City services required to support that growth. Included in the 2011 budget approval were staff positions that support ongoing work needed to accommodate the growth of our community. Some of these positions will be located in City Hall.
"The Community Development, Parks and Recreation Department has been investigating options for re-locating its administrative offices to accommodate the increasing need for office space within City Hall."
Space in the GDC was the suggested solution.
"Review and discussion revealed that renovating the Theatre (meeting room) and three storage rooms would result in adequate administrative space as well as the provision of a small meeting room," said McLeod in March.
At the time Councillor Chris Wyatt offered up an alternative site, noting the city's public library is under renovation and "three offices and reception area," could likely be incorporated into that work.
"I think it would be a good synergy," he said. "Let's max-out the facility we have on Broadway (Street)."
At Monday's meeting McLeod said the library was not a good fit.
"Administration has investigated the option of creating administrative space at the Library including discussions with the Library Board Chairperson. Administration could use the offices on the west side of the building and have access to the offices using the existing north door of the Library. A wall would be constructed to separate the Department operation from the Library and act as a hallway to access the individual offices and a required emergency exit located in the inter-library loans room. The Library would lose 2.5 offices and more importantly the Children's Programming Room," he said.
"The Children's Programming room hosts programs for up to 15 children at once. A door can be closed so as not to disturb other patron's and there is a window for ease of supervision into the space or out into the Library as required. The Programmer's office is used to develop children's programs and activities, process books with magnetic strips to prevent theft, and repair books. This office is also used to store books and items used during children's story time."
McLeod said the Godfrey Dean location still seemed the best fit.
The work at the Godfrey Dean Gallery would have benefits beyond offices, said McLeod.
The re-location of the Community Development, Parks and Recreation administration offices is considered temporary but the creation of this admin area will have a lasting legacy. This renovation is also seen as addressing some of the key objectives contained in the Municipal Cultural Plan as approved by Council in 2009. One of the key objectives was accomplished when Council approved the Plan. Providing this space will address three other key objectives which are to;
*Create more space to house additional cultural organizations that need an accessible, affordable and sustainable community facility.
*Increase community leadership capacity by improving co-ordination and communication within the cultural community and between community based organizations.
*Create a cultural hub in Yorkton that will serve the community as well as the region.
"These benefits will be most evident once the City vacates this space, however, locating the Community Development, Parks and Recreation administrative offices in the Godfrey Dean Cultural Centre will serve to further develop relationships between the City and the cultural community."
The money would come from several areas to cover the work, said McLeod.
Councillor Larry Pearen had some concerns about the offices limiting programming space at the Godfrey Dean, and how it might mesh with any efforts at the Sports Hall of Fame.
"The Yorkton Arts Council (YAC) has applied for a $50,000 matching grant to develop the GDCC as a Cultural Hub. The City would need to invest $50,000 as the matching amount for the Arts Council grant and then provide the additional $25,000 needed to complete the renovation. The grant is for small capital projects and the application specifically targets the establishment of the GDCC as a Cultural Hub. If the decision is to relocate to the Library, the Arts Council grant will be withdrawn as it is specifically for the development of a Cultural Hub. A move to the GDCC meets the administrative criteria of a preferred location as well as supports the creation of a Cultural Hub as identified through the Municipal Cultural Plan."
The issue of the YAC grant application was one which worried some members of Council.
Wyatt said if the grant is not received the City could end up covering the entire project at a cost of $90,000. He said he still believes the library was a more suitable location.
Coun. Ross Fisher said he shared the concern over what happens if the $50,000 grant is not received, adding if it doesn't "we'll have to look at providing the money from the city."
Fisher suggested waiting for a final decision until the fare of the YAC grant is known, which would be late May.
A motion to accept the recommendation to proceed with the project was defeated in a three-three vote, with Councillors Wyatt, Fisher and Les Arnelien opposed.
A second motion was made to revisit the issue after the YAC had heard about the grant in May, but it too was defeated in a three-three vote with Councillors Wyatt, Richard Okrainec and Larry Pearen opposed.
