Old Town Hall Temporary Closure Notice

Old Town Hall Closure Notice

Official Statement from Mayor Jim Martin on behalf of Council and the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen

Date: March 10, 2025

On behalf of the Council of the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, I wish to address the ongoing work and commitment to the future of our historic Old Town Hall building. As you may know, last weekend I shared an important video statement outlining the current state of our Old Town Hall improvement efforts. I would like to now provide a detailed, official update on the situation.

On September 3rd, our Township Council authorized a full building assessment study to ensure the long-term safety of this historic structure. This past Tuesday, at our Regular Council meeting, we received the Building Envelope Condition Assessment Report from Accent Building Sciences and late Thursday we received a further letter from the engineering firm with directive to temporarily close Old Town Hall deeming it unsafe until requisite structural remediation measures are completed.  

The Building Envelope Condition Assessment Report represents a critical step in fully understanding the extent of the issues facing the Town Hall, which will guide us in developing a comprehensive and effective plan for its remediation.  One that will have a phased approach over time with focus on the most pressing remediation directives first so that we can resume use of the hall safely and without too much inconvenience to residents.  As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining the Town Hall, we have already made significant investments in repairs. Recently, we completed a new roofing project, totaling $40,000 and we installed a new accessible ramp, which required remedial work on the west wall discovered during installation, totaling $70,000.  Furthermore, and prior to this recent development, Council set aside $50,000 in budgeted Reserves for continued improvements to the Town Hall in the coming months.  For your consideration, please below the complete engineering report and Accent Building Sciences Old Town Hall closure directive letter. 

• Mar. 4, 2025, Report to Council and complete Building Envelope Condition Assessment Report.
• Mar. 6, 2025, Accent Building Sciences' Old Town Hall Closure Directive letter.
• Mar. 7, 2025, Order Prohibiting Use Or Occupancy Of Unsafe Building
• Mar. 7, 2025, Order To Remedy Unsafe Building (Old Town Hall) (1)

The Building Envelope Condition Assessment report and a subsequent inspection are needed to fully understand what remediation measures are required and in what order to ensure resident safety.  With this information, Council will be in a position to approve a detailed Building Remediation Plan with aim to resume use of the Town Hall as soon as it is safe to do so.  Council is committed to full disclosure of the costs involved and estimated timelines for the necessary repairs.

As you can imagine, to address the most pressing Town Hall remediation measures now is challenging, especially given that the Township is currently managing several transformative projects in various stages of delivery. Among them are the George Street reconstruction and new drainage infrastructure, the HBM Community Centre expansion and improvement, the Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion, and the new Outdoor Sports Complex. These are exciting initiatives that will shape the future of our community, but we also understand the historic importance of our Old Town Hall and are dedicated to ensuring it remains a safe and cherished landmark.

I ask for your continued support and patience as we take measures to safeguard resident safety and continue the good work to understand the full scope of requisite repairs ensuring transparency and accountability every step of the way including cost breakdowns and timelines.  This information will be communicated during Regular Council meetings and included in Council Agenda, as well as Council Meeting Minutes which are available on our website www.hbmtwp.ca.  As well, all Regular and Special Council Meetings are videotaped and posted to the Township’s YouTube channel.

Thank you for your understanding and we would appreciate your support.

Sincerely,

Jim Martin
Mayor, Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen
jmartin@hbmtwp.ca

Please note a video statement was issued by Mayor Martin on Saturday, March 8th.  To review the full wording of his videotaped statement, please see Mayor Martin's Video statement.  To view Mayor's Martin's YouTube video regarding the Old Town Hall and recent developments, see: https://youtube.com/shorts/smrSuqrEmZY?feature=share