Rot, mould at North Saanich municipal hall

North Saanich senior building inspector John Post shows a section of the north wall of the municipal building where water and mould have contributed to the rotting of structural wood.

image credit: Steven Heywood

Instead of continuing to patch up North Saanichs patchwork municipal building, the District will explore the cost of replacing most of it.

Senior building inspector John Post says water leaks into the building and behind the stucco have rotted portions of the structure. Doors, window sills and flooring have been replaced in recent years, while supporting beams have been installed in places like exterior staircases to ensure safety.

Its this piecemeal approach to maintaining what is clearly a building in need of repairs or replacement that the District hopes to end, says Mayor Alice Finall.

Weve known for quite a while that this is an issue, she said.

We received some of the details in assessment reports last year but council at the time felt it was more appropriate for the new council to address it.

Those reports are available on the Districts website and at municipal hall.

On Feb. 2, the new council voted to have municipal staff hire a project manager. They will, said Finall, prepare plans to replace the older portions of the structure and pin down what it will cost.

Finall added the District had the building assessed, with recommended repairs needed. That cost, said Chief Administrative Officer Rob Buchan, was $1.3 million.

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Rot, mould at North Saanich municipal hall