Repairs to new town hall to cost $600K

The town hall in Stratford, P.E.I., built just seven years ago at a cost of $5.5 million, is in need of some major repairs.

'We paid for a certain product, and some of those specs were not followed.' Coun. Diane Griffin

CBC News has obtained a confidential report that lays most of the blame for the problems on the original builders.

Staff at the town hall in Stratford first noticed problems about a year ago: water stains inside the building and shingles flying off the roof. A consultant was hired to determine what was going on.

"I think a lot of the work in this report is urgent," Coun. Diane Griffin, chair of public works for the town, told CBC News Monday.

"We don't want to have damage to the interior of the town centre. Water getting into a building is never good news."

The consultants hired by the town peg repairs at almost $600,000, plus the cost of replacing the roof.

The question of liability for the repairs is unclear. The general contractor was Schurman's, which has since been bought out by Irving-owned Kent Building Supplies. Irving spokeswoman Mary Keith said she doesn't know what, if any, liability her company would have, but she is looking into it.

Griffin said the issue of liability will be dealt with by the town's lawyers.

"We paid for a certain product, and some of those specs were not followed," said Griffin.

"That's the issue we have to deal with in order to rectify the major problems that have occurred here."

The town received the report last week, and Griffin said councillors will meet soon to discuss the findings. Decisions will then be made on which repairs to do first.