The Clinton Library will be getting some external improvements, after the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board approved $35,000 in spending on the project at their meeting on Sept. 17. At the same meeting, the board approved N&H Contracting Ltd. as the successful proponent to do upgrades to the 70 Mile Community Hall.
The $35,000 in funding for the Clinton Library comes from Federal Gas Tax Revenue allocated to Electoral Area “E”, and will help fund access improvements at the branch, which was built in 1975. According to a report provided to the board, renovations to the library are required to address the lack of accessibility for those using wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
“The Clinton Library provides an important community service that needs to be accessible to all Clinton residents,” states the report. “Senior citizens make up about 30 per cent of the Clinton community population and a large portion of Clinton residents have physical disabilities. The library accessibility renovations will include structural improvements that will make it much easier for these vulnerable residents to access the library’s services.”
The total project cost is estimated at $95,635, and work is scheduled to start in late September 2020.
The upgrades and improvements to the 70 Mile Community Hall will cost approximately $350,000. The project will include roof resurfacing; upgrades to the heating system, electrical fixtures, windows, doors, bathroom fixtures, and perimeter drainage; refurbishing and re-chinking exterior logs; mobility-friendly access improvements; crawl space damp-proofing; insulation upgrades; and general improvements throughout the facility, including new floors and painting, a sump pump, and a new kitchen.
“It’ll be really good,” says Ken Huber, chair of the 70 Mile Community Club, which owns and operates the hall. “It’ll be nice to walk in there and not smell the mildew.”
The hall, which was built in the 1970s, is a focal point of the community, and is used for weddings, family gatherings, community dinners, craft fairs, and more.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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