MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 24,2023
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS
Great things are happening in Bancroft!
North Hastings Inspiration Place (Library)
The Town obtained funding in 2019 for the construction of the library portion of the building. Since that time, the world experienced a pandemic which resulted in significant price escalation and supply's chain challenges for all types of construction which has delayed the start of our project. While this doesn't have any direct impact on our intention for the library, it has caused significant challenges with the residential portion of the build. As a result of the current economic climate and the extreme lack of affordable housing in our community and across the country, we want to ensure that we maximize the impact of the project by providing as much housing as possible. We continue to work with the developers who will build the housing component to identify funding options and programs that will maximize the impact of the residential part of the build. We have already completed some underground infrastructure work while completing the Downtown Project this summer and anticipate additional infrastructure activity this spring. It's important to note that the construction of the building is the final part of the development for the building and substantial work happens, and has already happened, leading up to the actual construction which will commence in 2024 and take a coupe of years to complete.
Warming Room
Since we know that the library construction will take a couple of years to be fully completed, we identified an opportunity to use what will become the residential parking area of the new library, to temporarily house a portable warm room for the 2023 and 2024 winter seasons. While this is not an ideal or permanent solution for our unhoused residents, it does provide some much-needed relief from the elements of our harsh Canadian winters and will ensure that we continue to do our part to support vulnerable populations in our community. We call on all levels of upper government for more action and funding to help us eliminate this chronic issue in our community and across the province.
Lifestyle Enrichment and Fitness Centre
In October, we soft launched the opening of the LEAF Centre in the mezzanine of the arena. Our membership continues to grow, and we are receiving wonderful feedback from those who are improving their health in this new space. Our swipe card system has been installed and will continue to work toward full implementation of this access system, as well as onsite payment and registration opportunities. We hope to have all of these finalized by year end. We are excited to offer gift certificates for monthly and annual memberships in time for the holiday season and hope that you will consider giving the gift of health and wellness to those that you love. The coming year will see expanded program offerings and even more opportunities to participate in wellness activities in the community space as we bring more members of the community together on the path to wellness.
Downtown Construction
We continue to work on some remedial items but look forward to realizing the full potential of the finished project. Greening and streetscaping activities will begin in the spring to bring our brand-new street to life and make Downtown Bancroft a destination for shoppers, visitors and those who want to enjoy a beautiful walk through our amazing town.
With the holidays upon us, we wish you and your families a happy, safe, and festive holiday season. Please support our local businesses and enterprises while completing your gift giving shopping this year as they continue to support you through their donations, contributions and support for community activities.
Season Greetings from Council and Staff at the Town of Bancroft.
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For additional Inquiries please contact:
Andra Kauffeldt, General Manager
Town of Bancroft
[email protected]
613-332-3331 ext:206
Click
here for the original release.