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The Observer | Saturday, August 02, 2008
Going beyond Basics at new Elmira location............................................... »13 South Woolwich rookie ball puts a wrap on season
»15 VOLUME 13, ISSUE 31
www.ObserverXtra.com ObserverXtra.com
SATURDAY, AUGUST 02, 2008
PRICELESS
Woolwich sets mid-September date for move Construction in final phase at new $3.9-million township hall; other projects on track, on budget STEVE KANNON Woolwich administration has pegged Sept. 19 to make the hop from Arthur Street to Church Street. The push is on to finish renovations at the former Glencree building, once home to the Mennonite Savings and Credit Union. To complete the move to the new township hall, staff will wind down operations at the current building on Thurday, Sept. 18, opening for business at the new facil-
ity on the following Tuesday. With a date set, the race is on to complete the $3.9-million construction project. Chief administrative officer David Brenneman is confident enough wiggle room has been built into the date to ensure the move goes ahead as scheduled. The date was nailed down Monday. Renovations are expected to be completed a week before moving day. “We wanted to give ourselves that week to make sure all the little things are done,” he said.
The move will provide township personnel with much more space. Currently in cramped quarters – former storage closets in the basement have been turned into office space – staff will have better working conditions. As well, there will be more room for dealing with residents accessing municipal services, and a more spacious council chamber. “Things are proceeding really nicely at the admin. centre.
The inside is going well. The outside is on schedule,” facilities manager Brian Detzler said Wednesday, noting some of the exterior cladding may not be in place until early September, but the building will be ready for occupancy. The opening of the administration building will be preceded by the new $1.3-million fire station in Floradale, slated for occupancy Aug. 25. Likewise, the expansion at the arena in St. Jacobs is expected
to be completed at about the same time. While it’s one of the smaller projects – a budget under $500,000 – the changeroom addition to the arena has been a longtime coming. Construction will be wrapped up before the start of hockey. “The work will be done in time for the new season.” The largest of the township’s building projects, the Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira, is well underway See FACILITIES »07
THE BIG OnE The Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira is the largest of the township’s building projects, with a budget pushing $23 million. Like the others, it has required some juggling of the finances.
phoTo | JoE MELIRhAN
Wellesley adopts policy for historical grants First project from large bequest will involve cataloguing artifacts and documents in current collection STEVE KANNON First came the big wad of cash. Now there are guidelines about how to spend it. Wellesley officials were caught off guard last fall when they learned the township had been bequeathed $340,000 by a former resident, with the funds earmarked for historical purposes. Now, a newly energized Wellesley Township Heritage and Historical So-
ciety has a plan for using the money. The criteria – including that recipient projects are to be in keeping with the historic, heritage and cultural values of the township – were approved by councillors meeting Tuesday night. The group expects to hear suggestions from the public about what to do with the money; the new policy provides guidelines for judging the submissions, said society
chairman Ron Hackett. Chief administrative officer Susan Duke, who drafted the policy guidelines, said the township has to ensure the bequest is well used. “These funds were an amazing windfall. We have to use them wisely.” The money came from the estate of Jack Edgar Koehler, who died Nov. 19, 2006. Though a Kitchener resident, Koehler had spent time in the township as a child. His family
had long ties to the area. Koehler’s great-grandparents immigrated to Canada from Germany and settled in the area north of Bamberg (Hessen Strasse). His grandfather, Heinrich Koehler Jr., lived with his parents on the Wellesley Section Line. Koehler’s great aunt, Katherine Koehler married John G Reiner, “Builder of Wellesley” who, during his career, had been credited with constructing some 32 structures in the village.
The money came at a time when both the Wellesley Township Historical Society and Wellesley Township Heritage (formerly LACAC) were in danger of being disbanded. Combining the two groups added some life, but the money has been a major boost, said Hackett. “Until now, we’ve been kind of limping along.” With a nest-egg, volunteers with the society hope to stimuSee HERITAGE »06
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