Stakeholder engagement is now underway for the proposed Chatham-Kent community hub, which would involve the moving of the civic center, library and museum to a portion of the Downtown Chatham Centre.
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During a recent meeting at the Cultural Centre, the group reviewed initial draft designs of the first and second floor to ensure the needs of their respective organizations were being met.
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The session marked the first of three meetings planned with this group, stated a media release from the municipality.
Providing input were representatives from the CK public library board, accessibility advisory committee, municipal museums advisory committee and gallery advisory committee.
These stakeholders represent their respective boards and committees and will be bringing feedback from their groups for consideration as the process unfolds.
“(The) meeting was an excellent first engagement exercise with our very knowledgeable stakeholders,” Edward Soldo, Chatham-Kent’s manager of infrastructure and engineering, said in the release.
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“As we move along the project timeline, we want to be sure that the voices of those using and working in these facilities are being heard. This project has the potential to reshape our community, so we want to make sure we have community input throughout the process.”
The proposed hub is a multi-year project currently in its second phase. The first phase was completed last October when council authorized the purchase of the former Sears portion of the mall.
The current phase, expected to last until this summer, established the stakeholder engagement group and created detailed concept designs. It will also allow for public engagement on the designs.
At the end of this phase, the project will come before council, with an updated cost estimate, for a decision on the continuation of the project.
If approved, the third phase will involve finalization of the designs, tendering costs, construction procurement, and pending approval, the start of construction.
For more information, visit www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/community-hub
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