A Time for All Reasons in Oxford

Sobering news delivered to Oxford Town Council last evening, with assessments of two town-owned buildings revealing costly choices will need to be made. 

The Town Hall, formerly the Bank of Nova Scotia, is in need of extensive repairs that — in the words of the company tasked with the assessment — "outweighs the property value". A rough initial estimate puts the repairs at well over 800-thousand dollars.

Among the many issues identified were several cases of electrical systems exposed and not meeting code requirements, severe deterioration in the roof, structural concerns with the bricks and mortar, and problems with the heating and cooling systems. 

While Town Council had budgeted for anticipated roof repairs in the existing capital budget, the full scope of the problem will require a more expansive — and expensive — plan to set things right. Oxford town staff will take the building assessment and explore options, which Councillors will discuss in the coming weeks. 

Another town-owned building, the Oxford Pioneer Heritage building on Ellis Street, is in better shape than expected, and could serve the community for years to come, though it will still cost the town upwards of 12-thousand dollars to bring it up to code and to address needed maintenance. That building was the subject of roof repairs conducted in previous months, intending to extend its useful life as a community meeting space.

Even with these challenges, the Town plans to complete the first phase of much-needed paving work this summer. Main and Water streets will see some patching, while Duke Street —in very poor condition— will be fully repaved. 

Oxford Mayor Trish Stewart says the town will stick to its long-term plans for much-needed infrastructure projects, including paving and water main replacements. She notes that the coming weeks will see Councillors and staff working on the budget for the next fiscal year.

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