VICTORIA HALL COMMUNITY CENTER

 

In a column last January, I described the plans and processes underway to determine how to successfully bring Victoria Hall back as a vital community and cultural center for the use of the citizenry of Westmount. After much research, discussion, debate … more research, more discussion, more debate, a plan has evolved. By now you should have received Mayor Peter F. Trent's Letter that outlines the project, including the costs and an interior sketch of the proposed link. This project responds to the criteria set by Council (compiled from citizen consultation) with regards to the building’s physical arrangement, heritage value and aesthetics.

 

At the start of Council’s current mandate, a workshop was held, to set goals to « create a long range plan for the improvement of services and facilities towards fostering a greater sense of community ». Linking the library, palm court and Victoria Hall offers the ability to create a true cultural complex, a venue for our community to come together. The operation of the facility must also be « community building » so policy changes have been adopted with regards to rentals and such, to return the primary functions of the buildings to community use.

 

A community/cultural center’s activities and programs should reflect the particular interests, past-times … of that community. They will also be influenced by current recreational styles. Much research and public consultation (since 1989) has gone into the proposed plans for Victoria Hall so that the building will be able to serve the current community needs and be adaptable to further changes. The decision that all rooms in Victoria Hall be multi-purpose in function was made for this reason and also to allow as much use of the space as possible. The building is not so large that spaces could be dedicated without taking away from another group or program. Thus the Ward Room will be renovated to better accommodate its current usage e.g., dance room, music room, meeting room. But will have the flexibility in design to be easily transformed as an art display area during the summer months when there is little programming in Victoria Hall. An art display area and a café have been included in the link. This area is intended for Westmount artists works and would be open year round.

 

Victoria Hall allows us to come together as a community under one roof for a variety of events from public meetings on special issues, Annual Flower Shows that welcome new residents and thank volunteers to Vin d’Honneurs. It is our hope that more citizens will become involved in organizing and participating in citizen-driven events such as Westmount Creates, the Santa Claus Parade (Kathleen Duncan) and Safe Living Day (Barbara Moore). So on Monday night while you are viewing the proposed plans, think about programs, events and activities you would like to have take place in Victoria Hall Community Center. They could be big, small, a new program or bringing back an old one …For then, we will have the place, the policies and the people.

The lines are open daily at Victoria Hall – give a call (989-5226).

13 Nov AM I LACKING IN JOCKULARITY? by Peter F. Trent

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27 October 1997

Dear Fellow Resident:

 

Some of you may have noticed the scaffolding and construction activity around Victoria Hall this year. We are just finishing the second phase of a three-phase project to repair and restore this building. In the process, we hope to give back to this revered old structure the status it used to have as a true community centre.

We originally expected the third and final phase to be by far the most ambitious, as that phase included the interior renovations, the extension of the elevator to all floors and an interior link to the greenhouse and the library. We had also planned an art gallery and the revamping of the main stage; this was after public consultation that actually began in 1989, and continued in 1995 with an intensive survey of all Westmount community groups. As well, in 1996, there was a public meeting on the subject of Victoria Hall held by the Westmount Municipal Association.

I am afraid that certain things such as improvements to the main stage have fallen victim to the current financial reality, especially with the amount of downloading we can expect from Quebec: a tax grab that could mean tax increases in Westmount of anywhere from 5 to 10%. Council is in no mood to spend money on projects that would add in any significant way to this looming tax increase.

A lot of this project consists of critically necessary repairs. In fact, the only "optional" part of the third and uncompleted phase involves the construction of the elevator and the link. One could be tempted to scrap both items in order to keep costs down. Your Council feels that such a cut would be shortsighted, as both items would cost much more if done at a later stage. Why do them at all, then? We are convinced that melding the library and Victoria Hall into one complex will have a profound impact on its use as a true community centre. And a community centre that is not accessible by elevator doesn't deserve the term "community". There is also a bonus: the link will also serve as a small art gallery and café where residents can gather on their way to and from recreational activities.

Such an all-weather link would mean one could leave one's coat, say, in Victoria Hall, go to a meeting or class there, have a coffee, visit the flower displays in the greenhouse, and take out a book from the library - all without going outside.

These are the total projected costs of all three phases:

Phase Date Work involved Cost ($Million)

First 1994 air conditioning/electrical entry (completed) 0.8

Second 1997 repair roof and exterior stonework (in progress) 0.6

 

Third 1998 repair windows 0.2

interior repairs and renovations 0.9

link to library, small art gallery 1.0

elevator extension 0.3

Total $3.8
prepared by city hall computer!?

If you would like to see a model of what is being planned, or if you have further questions, please come to City Hall at 7:00 p.m., prior to the next Council meeting on November 3. Meanwhile, I hope the following sketch can give you an idea of what the link will look like.

Yours truly,

PFT:mjaPeter F. Trent
Mayor

 

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Le 27 octobre 1997

Chères concitoyennes,

Chers concitoyens,

Vous avez peut-être remarqué l’échafaudage contre la façade de Victoria Hall et les travaux qui y ont lieu cette année. Nous terminons ces jours-ci la deuxième des trois phases de réparation et de restauration de cet édifice. Nous espérons ainsi redonner à la vénérée structure la place qu’elle a déjà occupée à titre de véritable centre communautaire.

Nous nous attendions au départ à ce que la troisième et dernière phase soit la plus ambitieuse, et de loin, puisqu’elle consiste en rénovations intérieures comportant notamment le prolongement de l’ascenseur à tous les étages et l’aménagement d’un passage menant à la serre et à la bibliothèque. Nous avions aussi prévu une galerie d’art et la remise en état de la scène principale; c’était après la consultation publique entreprise en 1989 et poursuivie en 1995, comprenant une enquête approfondie auprès de tous les groupes communautaires de Westmount. Également, en 1996, l’Association municipale de Westmount tenait une assemblée publique au sujet de Victoria Hall.

Je crains que certaines choses, comme l’amélioration de la scène, ne doivent subir le contrecoup de la réalité financière actuelle, à cause surtout du ‘pelletage’ auquel nous nous attendons de Québec : cette ponction fiscale pourrait se traduire, à Westmount, par une hausse de taxe variant entre 5 % et 10 %. Le Conseil municipal n’a aucune envie d’engager des dépenses qui ajouteraient à cette hausse imminente.

Le chantier se compose en bonne partie de réparations essentielles. A vrai dire, la seule partie ‘facultative’ de la troisième phase restante comporte la construction de l’ascenseur et du passage. L’on pourrait être tenté, pour réduire les coûts, d’annuler ces deux travaux. Or votre Conseil estime que ce serait manquer de vision, car il en coûterait beaucoup plus de réaliser ces travaux plus tard. Alors, pourquoi même y penser? Nous sommes convaincus que la jonction de la bibliothèque et de Victoria Hall en un même complexe aura un effet profond sur la fréquentation du lieu comme centre communautaire. Et, sans ascenseur, ce centre n’aurait de communautaire que le nom. Mais le passage présente un autre avantage en ce qu’il servirait de petite galerie d’art et de café où les résidants pourraient se retrouver entre deux activités de loisir.

Grâce à ce passage ‘toute saison’, on pourrait laisser son manteau à Victoria Hall, par exemple, assister à une réunion ou à un cours dans une des salles, aller prendre un café, visiter la serre, puis aller chercher un livre à la bibliothèque; sans jamais mettre le pied dehors.

Voici les coûts prévus des trois phases :

Phase Date Travaux Coût (en millions $)

 

Première 1994 climatisation; électricité (terminés) 0,8

Deuxième 1997 toiture; maçonnerie de pierres (en cours) 0,6

Troisième 1998 réparation des fenêtres 0,2

réparations et rénovations intérieures 0,9

passage et petite galerie d’art 1,0

prolongement de l’ascenseur 0,3

3,8

Pour prendre connaissance de la maquette du projet ou pour tout renseignement sur le sujet, il vous suffit de vous rendre à l’hôtel de ville, le 3 novembre prochain, à 19 heures, soit avant l’assemblée du Conseil de cette date. D’ici là, l’esquisse ci-dessous vous donnera une idée de l’apparence du passage.

Le maire de la ville,

PFT:mja Peter F. Trent

Peter F. Trent's Letter