Killarney Guide

New sun-lit civic offices will open to the public next week

BY KIM LANGEN

With an eye to recreating what is old and worn into something new and better, a Brandon architect has made his mark downtown.

Michael J. Cox, who was commissioned to design a renovation plan for the municipality’s crumbling 1960s civic offices, has delivered in style with a sun-lit package for everyone to enjoy.

“My view, my whole life, is that there is value in all things that exist,” said the internationally renowned architect. “That was the whole point of this project. Why spend money to replace stuff? And at the same time we have also improved the environmental aspect of this building, which was once the old fire hall. My job was to listen to people, hear what they wanted, and assemble all the resources.”

On Tuesday morning, Guide staff were invited to an early preview of the new offices, which will be formally opening on Monday, April 17, to the public.

This first phase of the $2 million development (over two years) involved the old fire hall section of the civic buildings, and contractor for the project was Phil Neufeld’s Westman Specialty Contracting. 

“Our relationship with Phil has been awesome,” said the chief administrative officer for the Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain, Meghan Cuvelier Klassen, on Tuesday. “And I think it has been a smooth process. I am so excited. However, there is still a lot of stuff to do next, including moving in all the equipment from our offices in the old part of the building and into the new ones this Thursday and Friday.”

Neufeld added that the second phase of the project, renovating the original civic offices, will commence in mid-May, with the aim of completion in the fall.

Access to the new civic offices will be through an automatic front door, near where the fire trucks once drove in. 

Everything will be wheelchair accessible, on one level, with a beautiful public washroom immediately available inside the entry vestibule. The single washroom includes a lovely low, wide sink, and a fold down change table for babies.

“We pay more attention now to accessibility, especially with washrooms,” said Cox. “It’s large enough for seniors in wheelchairs, and for kids in strollers. It’s central to the notion of catering to disabilities. We are all just temporarily abled.”

The interior includes three spacious work stations for staff, plus a main front desk area for administrative assistant Deb Panchuk. There are two filing areas to the rear, a number of other offices, including the CAO’s, plus an area for lunch breaks. The plans were drawn up during the pandemic, and because there was so much space in the old fire hall, work areas for staff were apportioned to be at least three metres apart, said the architect.

The overhead lighting is ‘warm’ LED luminaires, giving the room an overall sense of calmness and space for both staff and the public.

The current civic offices were to close  Thursday and Friday, April 13 and 14, for the massive staff move, said Cuvelier Klassen. 

And on Monday, April 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the surplus furniture and other items from these offices is to be disbursed for free to non-profit groups.

The following day, Tuesday, April 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the disbursement of the remaining items will be available for free pickup by the general public.

“This giveaway will all take place in the old civic offices,” she said. “But the items must be removed the same day.”

BRIGHT NEW FUTURE AT CIVIC OFFICES – The front entrance to the beautifully renovated and recreated civic offices on Broadway – previously the fire hall – will open to the public for business on Monday, April 17. Above, from left, are: Meghan Cuvelier Klassen, CAO for the Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain; building contractor Phil Neufeld of Westman Specialty Contracting; Mayor Janice Smith, and Brandon architect Michael J. Cox, who designed the contemporary concept. 

ACCESSIBLE WASHROOM FOR ALL – The new civic offices include a spacious single washroom for the public inside the entrance vestibule, which can accommodate strollers, wheelchairs, and other mobility devices. It also has a fold-down diaper change table, and an automatic door.

An award-winning architect 

Michael Cox has been the principal of Michael J. Cox, Architect in Brandon, Manitoba since 1979. 

A literal one-person practice for this entire period, the firm has engaged in a wide variety of work, ranging from small-scale residential renovations to significant commercial projects. 

His work includes the wholesale renovation of Brandon’s original electrical generating station resulted in an award-winning Western Regional Head Office facility for Manitoba Hydro. 

Recent work includes the design of a permanent memorial to some 19,000 Canadian and Commonwealth Air Force personnel who lost their lives in service to Canada during the Second World War.
Michael believes that in addition to meeting client needs, each commission should be examined for ways in which it might also serve the aspirations of the community in which the project will be built. 

Further, he is committed to the idea that the leadership skills that serve him well as an architect should be shared with the larger community within which he works. 

In addition to his service as President of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Michael has been Chair of the Assiniboine Community College Board of Governors, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Brandon Downtown Development Corporation, and President and Board Chair of the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba.”

From the Architect Institute of Canada website (https://raic.org/raic/michael-j-cox-maa-fraic).

RECEPTION ROOM – This is the view over the new civic office reception desk, which shows the spacious work areas in the rear for staff. From left are: Phil Neufeld, Janice Smith, Meghan Cuvelier Klassen, Michael Cox, and Jesse Hansen (planning officer).

EXTERIOR PLANS – This was the view on Tuesday (above) as work continued apace at the renovated civic offices. Entrance to the public, starting on Monday, April 17, will be via a temporary plywood ramp at the new doorway. Landscaping and gardening work will begin later this spring, to eventually make a great front view of what was previously the old fire hall. The old steps (left) will be enhanced with container plants, and that entrance will be designated for emergency use only. Below, the architect’s rendition of the project.

JAY STRUTH/KILLARNEY GUIDE PHOTOS

COUNCIL CHAMBER TABLE OF THE FUTURE – Above, and below (left), draft images of the future council chamber table for the new civic offices. The circular table will be located in the downstairs level of the building when completed.