Cramped quarters at Carena has town taking another look at renovations for Carena or former Civic Centre

Viking’s committee of the whole March 5 took another look at revisiting the old Civic Centre building after interim CAO Al Harvey asked for clarification on the town’s intentions for its future.

The building will soon be empty with both the Viking Beaver FCSS and BESC (Beaver Emergency Services Commission) moving to a new building in the old civic centre parking lot, along with the local food bank.

Viking’s administration is currently housed in the Carena Complex on the east side of town, which is where the by-election vote was held recently for two new councillors. Harvey said some residents told him at the advanced vote at the Viking Seniors Centre that they would not have gone to the Carena to vote. Harvey said people thanked the town for making voting available in the downtown.

At the same time, he said other comments were made about having the town’s administration housed in the Carena. In all, 86 residents voted at the seniors centre in the advanced vote – an indication that many people may prefer having services in the downtown core.

The Civic Centre’s future was brought forward from the Jan. 23 regular meeting, along with other projects and items. Harvey said that all the items brought forward to the committee meeting are on council’s wish/action list, “except for the possible re-entry to the Civic Centre.”

Councillor Judy Acres asked if councillors were “considering going back to the old office.” To that, Mayor Jason Ritchie replied that renovations would be necessary and as an older building, the up and down access in the front entrance would “be bad for seniors.”

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Patricia Harcourt
Editor