Image Courtesy Derek Brade

By Darren Rathwell

Costly upgrades, teardown of historic building recommended in Redcliff

Jan 26, 2022 | 5:41 PM

REDCLIFF, AB – A new long-term study on public buildings in Redcliff is raising some eyebrows in the community.

The report recommends demolition of a piece of the town’s heritage, plus some costly upgrades to town operations, including the Rec-Tangle Arena and the town’s fire hall.

A total of 15 town-owned properties were examined in a new assessment report, and almost half of them were found to be in poor to critical condition. As well, some of the work is said to be urgent.

The report is being used towards long-term planning “so that we can give council guidance and recommendations on what we need to do, and when we need to do it, so we can have a great fiscal plan,” town municipal manager Phyllis Forsyth said.

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In the Rec-Tangle’s case, the ice slab is possibly leaking a non-hazardous salt-water coolant, and has a leaking roof, and old rink boards.

Almost $2.7 million of work is needed at the arena in the next six years, plus a number of other town properties need work sometime over the same period,.

But Forsyth says taxes won’t likely rise to foot the bill.

“Council has not used taxes for any capital project. We are great at sourcing grants, and our savings,” she says

However, the Redcliff Museum is being recommended for demolition, with the report stating the building is in hazardous condition.

Nonetheless, Forsyth said, “it’s not a condemned building by any means. The report didn’t say that. It says we need to do some work now.”

The building’s exterior is in poor shape and cracking. But still, there are no plans to close it at this time. The report finds the museum needs $418,000 worth of work right away, while the building’s replacement would cost $2.3 million.

Meanwhile, fire code issues have been found at Redcliff’s fire hall. Tiles in the ceiling are ready for collapse, and the report recommends the town look at replacing the facility. The report finds the property needs $283,000 of work in the next one to five years, and $11,500 immediately.

But Redcliff’s mayor says he’s not certain all of the upgrades mentioned in the report are needed as soon as recommended. He cites electrical work at town hall as an example.

“What (the report says) is, ‘you should be replacing all those (electrical) panels.’ In the private world if your panels aren’t giving you grief you won’t be replacing them,” Dwight Kilpatrick said, adding he’s not sure not all properties are in as severe as shape as the report suggests.

“The way they rate things I think made people open their eyes real quick. But hopefully as we study it and get some other opinions or some definite opinions on what can be done at least that will help us.”

The town says further research will be carried out this year on how to proceed with its ice rink and museum.