After a wave of public attention via last week’s council meeting and a media visit, the city has pushed forward with long-sought repairs to the Onaping Falls Community Centre.
“This crew is working here at lightning speed,” Ward 3 Coun. Gerry Montpellier said, a wide smile stretching across his face as he watched a crew of contractors fix a small water-damaged room and install a wall to close the area off to the public on Wednesday.
Although he clarified the repair crew’s arrival earlier that day was nothing but good news, Montpellier also said it should have been done years ago and much more work is needed.
During last week’s city council meeting, Montpellier introduced a successful motion for the city to draft a business case for Onaping Falls Community Centre upgrades and repairs to come up during 2023 budget deliberations.
He also raised concerns regarding immediate repair needs at the building, such as the water-damaged room, which were supported by Mayor Brian Bigger.
On Tuesday, Montpellier informed city staff he intended on meeting with Sudbury.com for a follow-up story at the community centre the following day. A repair crew showed up Wednesday morning to repair the water-damaged room at the centre of Montpelier and Bigger’s criticism.
The damage, the city clarified in emailed correspondence with Sudbury.com, “appears to be a result of progressive water infiltration, and has caused significant damage to the wall finishes. It is best practice to remove all affected materials for a thorough investigation behind the wall and ceiling.”
They added additional work might include structural repairs, assembly improvements, roof surfacing and whatever else might be necessary to quell this immediate concern.
The city’s latest Building Condition Assessment indicates the centre requires approximately $2.5 million in refurbishments, repairs and or/replacements, and the cost of immediate repairs due to the water leak have not yet been determined.
“All community centres are considered equally through the Capital Prioritization Policy,” according to the city, noting although much of the facility is either original or updated no later than the mid-1990s, several elements, such as smaller hot water tanks, heat pumps and specific areas of finishes, are in good condition as they were replaced between 2008 and 2017.
“Condition-wise, all of the community centres require extensive work.”
The building opened in 1957 as the Lindsley Public School, and its pool was added in 1967.
It currently accommodates 16 services, including the New 2 U free clothing store, a free movie theatre temporarily discontinued due to COVID, a food bank, adult literacy centre, gymnasium and the Levack / Onaping Public Library. The pool is open during the winter months.
Its basement houses a youth centre with pool tables, couches, a large-screen television and space for various activities alongside a fully certified kitchen.
“This building is capable of being a shelter from a disaster,” Montpellier said, adding whether it’s a natural, mining or highways disaster, “this is it.”
Although certain repairs have taken place in recent years, Onaping Falls Recreation Committee chair Carrie Morin said city action has lagged.
The leaking roof being repaired this week was first raised with city staff in November 2017, she said, clarifying a plumbing issue also raised at that time has since been repaired, so it’s not as though the city hasn’t done anything.
“There are a few more issues than just that leaking roof,” she said, pointing to several trickle-down impacts and an overall need for renovations due to the usual slate of wear and tear issues that accompany an aging building.
“They just need to fix the building,” she said.
The building is integral to the community, Martha Cunningham Closs said.
Closs attended Lindsley Public School from Grades 2 to 7, and now serves as a librarian at the Levack / Onaping Public Library in the building.
“This building is a community hub,” she said. “Every major event that happened in Onaping and Levack would happen at this building.
“We’re the brightest corner of Greater Sudbury, and we really need to reach our potential.”
Whatever incarnation of city council is elected on Oct. 24 will consider Montpellier’s business case for Onaping Falls Community Centre upgrades and repairs in early 2023 alongside its final costs, though he shrugs off any notion they might not proceed with repairs.
Given how important the expansive building is to the Onaping/Levack/Dowling area community, he said, “I don’t think there will be much opposition, I don’t anticipate.”
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
