It won’t be long before the Novar Community Centre in Perry Township can be used as an emergency centre.
Plans are in the works to install a generator in the building — once in place, the building can also be used as a cooling centre during extreme heat events.
The Novar Community Centre is close to Highway 11, meaning that in the event of a highway closure, the building could be used as a drop-in facility for stranded motorists. The total cost of the project is $50,000.
Perry Township was successful in getting part of that cost covered through a provincial grant.
However, municipal staff say it will be up to the province to officially announce how much money the municipality was awarded.
The provincial grant has a stipulation that all the work must be completed by Aug. 29.
Facing a deadline for when the work must be completed, staff have issued a request for proposals, looking for who can carry out the work. Town council is expected to receive a staff report on the project at its March 19 meeting.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter with Almaguin News. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.