Reactions were decidedly mixed on the Napanee Beaver’s social media when the story outlining options for Greater Napanee’s town hall was posted online.
Some loved the idea; others felt the money should be spent elsewhere. Both camps raise good points-the town’s Market Square could use a make over and the options laid out by Ventin Group Architects were certainly intriguing. On the other hand some expressed their desire to see the money spent on an aquatics centre, which is a project that was talked about long before the notion of upgrading town hall was brought to the table.
As it stands right now it’s hard to really pass any judgment on the proposed town hall and library project without knowing the dollar figures. Those are expected to come to council at a later date and given where we stand in the election cycle-just five months away from the next one-there likely won’t be any concrete decisions made on the matter anytime soon.
If nothing else, the drawings presenting at last month’s council meeting at least give an idea of the potential for that area. Once a major focal point of the town, the Market Square has fallen behind while other areas of the town have become more suitable for public gatherings. Should the town push ahead with its goal of amalgamate all of the town’s services under one roof away from town hall, it would make the building that much more redundant. There’s a lot of history in that building however and it would be a shame to see it be completely ignored. That’s part of the draw of the latest proposal as it would serve to breathe new life into the building by doubling as both an outdoor market and a library while still keeping the town hall intact. The idea of hosting regular events such as outdoor movies or musical performances would also fill a nice niche of family activities that usually require a trip out of town. Given that the Napanee branch of the Lennox and Addington County Library is also in need of a new home, the timing could work out nicely if something were to come together at the town hall location.
Also making for good timing is the aforementioned municipal election that will be here sooner than we realize. That will give candidates a chance to voice their opinion on the matter and allow voters to align themselves with those who share their thoughts on the matter. While we don’t know the dollar figures just yet, it’s safe to assume it won’t be a cheap endeavour. Any time a multi-million dollar project that will be funded by tax dollars is on the table it’s always a good thing when residents have can have input on the matter.
It may wind up being too rich for most people’s tastes and the next council may end up taking the project in another direction. In the meantime it’s at least fun to hear the pitches and envision what could be done with such a historic area of the town. Once the bill comes in however that’s when reality may set in as well.
-Adam Prudhomme