A Wellington North councillor wants council to take stock of the buildings it owns.
Coun. Andy Lennox said at the Oct. 29 council meeting the township should take an inventory of the buildings it has, particularly those that are largely vacant to determine whether they should be kept.
Lennox pointed out the Damascus works building and the former Sacred Heart School building in Kenilworth as potential buildings that should be reviewed. According to Lennox the office roof on the Damascus building is leaking and needs repairs. He said the building is largely unused except for storage. The review would be part of cost-saving measures. “(We should) get rid of assets that we no longer use,” he told council.
Council should consider whether it is financially feasible to repair the roof, estimated to cost between $4,000 and $5,000, or demolish a portion of the building. “We do have to look at our assets and decide what we might want to repair and keep.”
He also suggested a review might find only the office part of the building might have to be torn down with the remainder used for storage. “There is still significant storage space available.” The township currently stores old records from the former municipalities that make up Wellington North in the Damascus building.
“We can’t keep pouring money into something we’re not getting full use out of,” he said.
Mayor Ray Tout agreed a review would be, “worth looking into.” Councillors were encouraged to bring their own ideas on buildings they feel should be reviewed to an upcoming council meeting.
Lennox said the review should also include the former Kenilworth school now rented out to the OPP for $19,900 annually.
