120-year-old Antigonish town hall to undergo accessibility renovations
Mayor hopes modifications will inspire town businesses to follow suit
The town hall in Antigonish, N.S., is due for a facelift.
Antigonish town council is seeking proposals from firms to undertake renovations to make the 120-year-old building more accessible.
“It's an old building with old plumbing, old electrical, and certainly not designed with accessibility in mind,” said Antigonish Mayor Sean Cameron.
As it stands now, the building is very much a product of its time.
Stone steps lead to the front door and a separate accessible entrance is located at the side of the building next to an active driveway. There’s also no elevator and no accessible washrooms, Cameron said.
Patrick McKenna, the chair of the town’s accessibility committee, said everyone should be able to enter a building the same way.
“Having different entrances brings us back centuries,” said McKenna.
The changes could mean installing an elevator or locating all offices on the first floor so anyone is able to enter and attend meetings, said chief administrative officer Randy Delorey. Offices are now spread across the building's three floors.
According to the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability, Nova Scotia has the highest rate of disability in Canada.
Nearly 38 per cent of residents are living with some form of disability. That is higher than the national average, which is around 27 per cent.
The province still has the goal of being fully accessible by 2030.
The closing date for the town's call for proposals is Jan. 29.
Cameron said he hopes the work at the town hall will prove inspiring to others.
“If we can do it to a 120-year-old building, we're hoping that that will translate to other business owners that make their place accessible as well.”
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With files from Brett Ruskin
