Input from Salmon Arm residents is wanted to help determine the fate of the city's old municipal hall.
Included in the city's Community Heritage Register, the historic brick building at 31 Hudson Ave. has seen little activity since it served as a seniors drop-in centre. That is largely to do with the condition of the structure, which was constructed in 1928 by William Reader and served as Salmon Arm's original municipal hall until 1970.
A structural assessment was conducted of the building in 2023 by engineer Joey Funk of Bar Engineering Co. In his report, Funk called the structural condition of the building 香蕉视频直播減oor,香蕉视频直播� and said 香蕉视频直播渟ignificant financial investment should be expected to maintain the current condition of the building, preserve the historical significance of the exterior brick walls, and prevent potential collapse in the future.香蕉视频直播�
Funk said the cracked foundation and walls could be attributed to differential movement in the underlying soils, which 香蕉视频直播渓ikely started early in the life of the structure and progressed over time.香蕉视频直播� This contributed to cracks in the foundation walls, exterior brick walls and the sloping floors throughout the building.
A 2024 hazardous materials report found asbestos, lead paint and crystalline silica in the building, which would need to be addressed in any redevelopment or renovation.
Funk suggested three options to mitigate structural concerns. Option 1 was complete replacement of the building, estimated to cost between $940,000 and $1.4 million. Option 2, partial replacement, was estimated to cost more, between $967,000 to $1.46 million. Other options were for repair and revitalization ($700,000 to $1.05 million) and interim repair ($96,000 to $144,000).
On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the city is hosting a public input session on options for the building. One consideration is demolishing the building and redeveloping the space as a "parklet," Plaza or public gathering space, similar to Ross Street Plaza. Staff say it could be redeveloped at a later date ,when a future purpose had been determined. This option is estimated to cost $150,000.
Another consideration is leasing the building "as is," with between $100,000 and $150,000 going towards the work needed to allow occupancy.
Renovation is also a consideration, renovations of old buildings can turn out to be more complex and costly once the work has started and the full extent of the issues revealed.
Redevelopment of the property is another consideration, as is demolishing the building and selling the site which, according to staff, could generate between $400,000 and $500,000 in revenue.
The public information session begins at 6 p.m. and runs to 7:30 in council chambers, and can be attended virtually. Those unable to attend may submit comments to gbuxton@salmonarm.ca.
See below for more information.