Council Debates Future of Heritage Building

It has seemed a foregone conclusion for months that Dawson Creek City Council would approve the purchase of the Old Post Office to transform into a new Community Centre. However, much to the chagrin of the City's Mayor, the majority of Council initially voted to reject purchasing the heritage building because of fears over costs  and a stipulation by the government that it be used exclusively as a Community Centre. After a lengthy discussion, Council eventually approved an amendment to buy the Old Post Office provided no capital expenses will go into the building until a public consultation determines what the building should be used for. If the city chooses not to use the building as a Community Centre, they will need to add an additional $365,000 to the purchase price of $295,00 for a total of $660,000.  With many renovations needed on the building to bring it up to code including a new roof, asbestos removal, addressing basement seepage and soil remediation, no one is sure how much money will be required on top of the purchase price. Council is hoping that because this is a heritage building federal grants might help to cover some of these undetermined costs.The city will officially take possession of the building in November, and will work with the public in the meantime to determine how best to use the facility.

Alicia Asquith CJDC TV News Dawson Creek