KEVIN SWAYZE

RECORD STAFF

Mayor Doug Craig, and councillors Karl Kiefer, Gary Price and Ben Tucci, voted in favour of plan. Councillors Rick Cowsill, Linda Whetham and Pam Wolf were opposed.

The connection happens in two phases. The first step is intended to happen this year, tied with completion of work on the city office building by year’s end.

The $1-million cost includes $500,000 for the link and the rest for new washrooms, removing the rear fire escapes, adding an interior stairwell, and a few interior renovations.

The next step costs $2.6 million and will be considered by city council as part of the 2008 budget. It includes adding a new handicapped accessible elevator inside, putting stairs back on the front of the building as they were before 1964, major renovations to council chambers and exterior repairs.

Council has already approved spending $1 million to replace the slate roof on the historic city hall this summer.

Heritage Cambridge opposed the link but praised the heritage master plan process and recommendations to make city hall accessible to the disabled and meet fire safety standards.

Pauline Todkill spoke for the citizen advocacy group, which supports the no-link position of the city’s own heritage advisory committee.

Heritage Cambridge said the city should allow it’s heritage committee to decide what to do with the city hall.

“We would suggest it is good leadership that the city follows the process that everyone else is subject to,” Todkill said.

Coun. Tucci reminded Todkill that two years ago, Heritage Cambridge called on the city to follow recommendations of the Ontario Heritage Trust.

But now, Heritage Cambridge is opposed to the trust’s position to build the link, he said.

“There’s some excellent work in (this report), but we disagree. It’s as straightforward as that,” Todkill said.

The city’s archives board opposed the glass link, fearing the construction work would disrupt the city’s storehouse of rare documents kept on the first and second floors of city hall.

The city’s accessibility advisory committee, however, called for upgrades to make the 149-year-old building open to people in wheelchairs — and to offer them safe exit in an emergency.

Mayor Doug Craig noted he’s said from the start that he would follow the recommendations of the Ontario Heritage Trust, which oversees the historic designation on the city hall, which opened in 1858.

“They have, in my opinion, made the case,” Craig said.

kswayze@therecord.com

link to story

http://news.therecord.com/article/212790

Have your say! Submit your story!