New Town Hall

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula is constructing a new Town Hall at 370 William Street in Wiarton, the site of the former grocery store. This development addresses the limitations of the existing Town Hall, which was built in 1968 and no longer meets the needs of the community or municipal operations.

While the current Town Hall's location is convenient, the building presents several challenges:

• Inadequate Space: Staff and Council are operating in cramped conditions, without room for the improvement of spaces and with no room for future growth..
• Deterioration: Despite the maintenance performed over the years, the condition of the facility has declined and now requires major upgrades.
• Functional Obsolescence: The building does not meet modern office standards, customer service expectations, storage requirements or accessibility requirements.
• Limited Expansion Potential: The current site restricts any meaningful expansion, and parking is insufficient to accommodate current and future needs.

The new site is ideal as it is walkable for many residents, still located in Wiarton's downtown, and strategically positioned in close proximity to key municipal services, including Bluewater Park, the municipal campground, pool, arena, and bandshell. This allows for more integrated operations. Overlooking Colpoy's Bay, this site has been sitting vacant and deteriorating. It is our vision to create a building the community can be proud of and a space that can be enjoyed and used by everyone.

To ensure cost-efficiency, and fiscal responsibility the existing steel frame of the former grocery store will be repurposed, saving millions of dollars. However, this approach limits the ability to add a second story or significantly increase the building’s height.

The first phase of the project, being the new Town Hall, is designed to meet the operational requirements of municipal staff and Council. Once the necessary Town Hall space is accounted for, approximately 12,000 square feet of vacant space remains.

The Town is seeking community input on the second phase of the project: how to best utilize the vacant space for the greatest benefit. While certain recreational uses may be affected by ceiling height limitations, we welcome all ideas that align with the needs and priorities of our residents. Please complete the project survey.

This project aligns with the Town’s Strategic Plan and underscores our commitment to transparency, community engagement, and responsible planning. Our goal is to design a facility that serves the needs of our residents, enhances service delivery, and fosters a sense of pride in our community.