Norfolk County officials are planning to hold a public meeting to discuss the future of the Vittoria Old Town Hall.
County councilors were told at a Tuesday (Sept. 19) council meeting that plans call for the public meeting to be held sometime in the fall.
The announcement comes just a couple of weeks after more than a dozen Vittoria residents gathered at the old town hall to express concerns about its future. The building has been closed for about four years but has been used in the past for events including the Lamport Seniors Club dinners, yoga and Zumba sessions, meetings and Christmas in Vittoria.
Residents say the hall is the “heart of the village” and expressed concern the hall’s future would be decided without them having a say.
Councilors were also told at the Sept. 19 meeting that the cost of completing repairs to the building’s exterior is expected to be $925,000. That’s in addition to at least $245,000 in capital repairs that will need to be completed over the next 20 years.
The cost estimates, which were included in a staff report, don’t include expenses to cover improving building accessibility and energy efficiency, the report says.
An evaluation of the building found that it is in “critical” condition because of the repairs required.
“The combination of the large cost increase of the restoration project with very limited financial resources (or offsetting facility revenue) and the close proximity to the Vittoria & District Community Center and expanding facility utilization poses significant challenges,” the staff report says.
The original public hall was built in the late 1860s but destroyed by fire in 1870, says a staff report.
The hall was rebuilt in 1879 and designated under the province’s heritage act in 1986.
County staff say residents will also be able to share their views of two other properties in Vittoria – 14 Oakes Blvd. and 15 Firefighters Lane – which are owned by the county.
Meanwhile, consultations between county staff and the Norfolk County Heritage Committee are ongoing to ensure heritage considerations are taken into account when deciding future plans.
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