The plan to renovate North Bay City Hall’s Customer Service Centre has been pushed off for at least another year following a city council decision.
The motion to move ahead with the $570,000 contract was defeated by a single vote on Tuesday.
In the report prepared by city staff recommending the renovation, it states that “the Customer Service Centre does not fit well in the existing space and is challenged to offer a high-quality service level due to the constraints imposed by the existing space.”
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way in which people use the Customer Service Centre, with protocols in place to only allow a handful of people in the building at a time
Councillor Chris Mayne said that because of the financial uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fact that the renovation is mostly for “aesthetic reasons”, that it’s something that the city can hold off on for the time being.
Councillor Mark King brought up the fact that it’s unclear as to what customer service will even look like after the pandemic, so it may not be wise to renovate a facility that may not get any use.
King also cited worries of any disruptions to the District of Nipissing Social Services Board which had not yet been consulted on the project.
