The proposed Coopers Green Hall rebuild may be moving forward, after Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) rural directors voted 3 to 2 to prepare to go ahead with the project at a June 24 committee meeting.
The next steps include drafting a proposed operating plan in partnership with the Halfmoon Bay Community Association, and the design process will be initiated based on already completed designs. A project budget update will be brought to a future committee meeting, and staff will report to a future meeting about tendering and project cost strategy.
Directors also voted to amend the project to include net-zero emissions readiness as a requirement, which staff estimate would cost an additional $15,000. Area E director Donna McMahon said the upfront investment could be worthwhile, considering net-zero readiness could create lower operating costs in the long-term.
“If we’re going to build this thing, we want to build the best building possible and get the maximum value for the taxpayer in the long run,” McMahon said.
A proposal to enhance parking infrastructure and management for the park, hall and boat ramp will be presented during the 2022 annual budget process. A proposal to analyze the community hall’s financial sustainability and cost recovery will also be brought to the 2022 annual budget as a proposal.
The value of the contract with Principle Architecture will also be increased from $138,300 to a maximum of $263,299. The staff report states “staff believe that up to an additional $125,000 will be required to produce a finished design that can be tendered.” Directors also voted to approve an additional $18,000 for the consultants’ budget to include the net-zero readiness and update the project cost estimate.
Previously, completing the design and initiating construction for the project was included in the 2021 budget and SCRD financial plan. The SCRD also received an Investing in Canada Infrastructure program grant for more than $2 million. If the project does not proceed to construction, the staff report notes, the SCRD may have to repay claimed grant funds. Area B director Lori Pratt acknowledged the funds raised by the Halfmoon Bay Community Association, and their ongoing efforts to raise funds and commit to maintaining and operating the hall.
The vote to move forward with next steps came down to three votes in favour from Pratt, West Howe Sound director Mark Hiltz and Pender Harbour director Leonard Lee. Voting in opposition were McMahon and Roberts Creek director Andreas Tize.
McMahon spoke against the motion, and restated her previous concerns about the project, which she called “out of scale and scope with the other community halls.” She again shared her concerns about a lack of policy for building or acquiring community halls, as well as the lack of an asset management plan for the SCRD’s existing community halls.
“Area E does not want to pay into this project. If the residents of Halfmoon Bay want to build a country club and are willing to pay for its construction, operation and long-term maintenance through taxation to Area B, then I’m fine with that,” she said.
She said she generally thinks having larger regional services is better than many little services, and added: “I would prefer to see the funding for community halls done by electoral area.”
McMahon pointed to the recreation master plan, which she said identifies community halls for neighbourhood-focused programming, ideally for residents within walking distance.
Tize agreed with McMahon, noting that there is not an SCRD-owned community hall in Roberts Creek. He cited concerns including the cost per square foot of the building, and rising sea levels during its lifespan.
“I can’t justify that building at that price at that location at this point in time,” Tize said.
Pratt, who represents the area where the hall is located, said the vast majority of residents there support the hall project. She also defended its size, saying that there are not many spots on the Coast where a gathering place could be located.
Sechelt director Alton Toth, although he could not vote on the matter, said Coopers Green Hall is well used by Sechelt residents.
“We’ve already paid for other halls,” Lee said, adding that he’s not opposed to reviewing all of the regional district’s services, but he is against “cherry picking to benefit anyone or even multiple areas at the expense of another area.”
The committee’s motions on the Halfmoon Bay community hall rebuild will come before the board at the July 8 regular meeting.
