If you've ever glanced down at the floor in the lobby of North Bay City Hall while paying a parking ticket or seeking information while visiting the customer service centre, you may have noticed the tiles do not match.
With $570,000 in proposed renovations, this design flaw — a result of various renovation projects over the years, according to the City of North Bay — will be remedied along with a host of other issues with the aim of providing augmented customer service for residents and visitors.
A staff report is recommending North Bay City Council awards the contract for $520,000 — plus an additional $50,000 for work related to removing asbestos ceiling tiles along the south entrance hallway — to Venasse Building Group Inc., during Tuesday's regular virtual meeting. Five bids were evaluated by City staff and the evaluation considered "company ability, experience, and price." Venasse was the lowest bidder.
"Over the lifetime of City Hall, various renovations, repairs, and modifications have resulted in a variety of different tiles making up the flooring system in the lobby," the report reads. "This project will replace the tile system for the entire lobby to improve the impression created by the space for the public and guests of City Hall."
In justifying the expense, the report states, "The Customer Service Centre program does not fit well in the existing space and is challenged to offer a high-quality service level due to the constraints imposed by the existing space."
The Customer Service Centre has occupied its current space since 2014 and was previously used by Provincial Offences. The centre will expand to include a "licensing hub" and the associated staff. The mail services will be incorporated into the renovated space.
According to the staff report, "Because the area was not originally designed to support these activities several challenges have arisen including low visibility, poor acoustics, inability to take delivery or provide certain services at the counter and poor accessibility."
Council meets virtually Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. for its committee meeting, followed by the regular meeting of council.
