Proposed $600K council gallery barrier not 'mission-critical,' London deputy mayor says
CBC
A proposal for a permanent barrier in the gallery of council chambers at a cost of $600,000 is a non-starter when city hall's new draft multi-year budget forecasts a potentially significant property tax hike, London's deputy mayor says.
The idea is included in one of 87 business cases for councillors to consider next year as they hammer out the final 2024-27 budget. A draft budget tabled earlier this week said an average tax levy of 4.9 per cent over the four-year period was needed to keep things status quo.
The business case requests roughly $11.5 million over four years for urgent upgrades to the 52-year-old building's outdated electrical, mechanical, plumbing systems, and fire and life safety systems, which have "limited capacity to be upgraded."
Two priority projects are identified by city staff in the business case, including waterproofing and repairing the underground parking garage to maintain its structural integrity.
The other calls for a plexiglass barrier in the council gallery, installed as a COVID-19 pandemic measure, to be replaced with a permanent solution "to address safety and security concerns."
"As Ontario municipalities see increasing incidences of uncivil behaviour in public spaces, installation of a more permanent structure was investigated," the business case reads.
"A glass wall could be installed to provide protection from items being thrown from the gallery, and also achieve physical separation if required under public health measures."
The current barrier is also a safety concern for visitors, who can't currently use the gallery's front row, said Anna Lisa Barbon, London's deputy city manager.
"If you were to push on it, it's not secured formally that would be able to handle weight," Barbon said.
Asked about the rationale for a permanent barrier due to "uncivil behaviour," Barbon said that while they have not had issues in the gallery, "that's not to say that it's not a good practice to ensure that a formal barrier is there, because the risk does exist."
"It is not prompted (by) any particular incident…our intention is to ensure that it becomes a permanent installation, and it will serve a multipurpose (use) going forward."
With the average tax bump expected at more than five per cent over four years, council will be looking to shave off as much fat as possible when budget talks begin in February.
Like the rest of the business case, nothing is set in stone. Councillors could endorse the business case and exclude funding for the barrier.
The infrastructure upgrades outlined by city staff need to happen, but a $600,000 permanent barrier is not a mission-critical upgrade, said Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis.
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