Calgary councillors ponder whether to return to old city hall

A multi-year, $34-million renovation of Calgary's old city hall is nearing the halfway point.

But now there are questions about just who will be working in the historic building once the exterior renos are done.

Councillors are discussing whether they'll move back into the building and the potential costs.

On Tuesday, council approved a motion calling on administration to come up with options for the building's use and possible costs after the stonemasons leave.

Historic city hall, which opened in 1911, was closed in 2016 for a four-year renovation project.

Chunks of sandstone were literally falling off the building.

Politicians had to move out

As a result of the closure, Mayor Naheed Nenshi, the 14 city councillors and their staff moved into the administration building next door.

Previously, the councillors' offices were spread across two upper floors in the old city hall building.But now, they're all on the same floor in their temporary space, which does feature more room.

There's talk that the city clerk's office will not return to itsspace in the lower level of the building.

Coun. Joe Magliocca said he supports the elected officials getting back into their old spaces.

"If I had the opportunity to go back there, I'd love to. In a heartbeat. It's a beautiful building," he said.

When the renovations are done, Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra said he doesn't know why council wouldn't move back in.

"I'm strongly of the belief that building was built to be the home of local government and I think that's why we decided to spend the money to renovate it," said Carra.

Choices come with a price

Coun. Ray Jones, who chairs the co-ordinating committee of the office of the councillors, said his colleagues could choose to stay permanently in their temporary offices.

But if they decideto move back, the issue is: who goes where as space is tight?

He said most councillors have three staffers now. When they moved out of old city hall, most had two staff members.

"We would probably end up having to get rid of a committee room in city hall or have to take over the first floor where the city clerks' [office]was," said Jones.

He revealed that it sounds like mostcouncillorswant to return to their old digs.

Other uses?

If council doesn't go back, the options for the historic building aren't fully known at this time.

"The alternative was we could always turn it into a museum I guess or give the whole building to the mayor," said Jones.

For his part, Mayor Nenshi doesn't have designs on the whole building. But he does believe the mayor's office needs to be in the historic sandstone building.

"I don't want to spend a ton of money renovating but I also want to make sure that building isn't just a dusty museum, that it is really the home of democracy in Calgary," said Nenshi. "Some tough questions ahead."

He points out that old city hall has seen plenty of other uses over the past century including a barbershop, stables, even a jail in the basement.

But it hasbeen the home of Calgary's municipalpolitical heartbeatsince it opened and he'd like to see that link remain intact.

A report on the options for old city hall and potential costs is expected to come back to city council in the next month.

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