The Capreol Public Library, Citizen Services Centre and community organizations operating at the old town hall building at 9 Morin St. could shift to the Capreol Millennium Resource Centre.
That is, pending the results of next year’s feasibility study and public consultations, which are expected to produce a report for city council’s consideration by the end of 2025.
The plan’s seed was planted during this week’s budget meetings, when Ward 7 Coun. Natalie Labbée introduced a successful resolution requesting the $40,000 feasibility study.
Meanwhile, the city would pause millions of dollars worth of approved accessibility work at the Capreol Public Library and Citizen Services Centre, including a $2.4-million elevator to the top floor.
“We’re not taking away a service, but making it more efficient and a one-stop shop for a lot of different types of services that the community at large will use,” she told her colleagues earlier this week of the proposal.
Following Tuesday’s finance and administration committee meeting and city council meeting which ratified city council’s request for a feasibility study, Sudbury.com toured the Millennium Centre building with Labbée to learn more about its proposed repurposing.
The consolidated Millennium Centre building would “be a full hub, because right now we have two spaces open and limited use at both,” she told Sudbury.com. “It’s definitely a busy place, but it could be busier and it could have more things for all different age groups.”
Walking through the mostly vacant building, which originally served as a school at 24 Meehan St., Labbée said, “There’s a lot of potential for use.”
Old classrooms are used to host meetings, such as the Capreol Community Action Network, there’s a youth centre and gymnasium in the basement and two workout rooms upstairs with exercise equipment.
The top of three floors is occupied by CN Rail for use as bunking for staff between Toronto and Hornepayne.
Much of the building’s main floor and basement are vacant, including two rooms the Valley Community Theatre group occupied until the group shut down earlier this year.
“It’s an old school, but it’s got really good bones,” Labbée said, adding that next year’s feasibility study will help determine whether it can handle the library building’s full slate of operations.
The library is located at 9 Morin St., a couple blocks to the northeast of the Millennium Centre at 24 Meehan St., and houses the community’s library, children’s programming, seniors club, cadets, food bank and community closet.
Capreol Seniors Club 240 president Don Degagne told Sudbury.com that although he’s supportive of the idea of shifting operations to the Millennium Centre in principle, he does have some concerns.
“There’s only so much limited space at the Millennium Centre,” he said, adding that having worked in the building, he’s well acquainted with what’s there.
The seniors group has approximately 100 members, hosts weekly potluck dinners and line dancing get-togethers, with more events such as weekly card games also being planned, pending there’s enough interest.
As long as the Millennium Centre has adequate space, a secure fridge, storage area and stove, he said the seniors group should be OK.
Plus, he said, “I don’t want to see people being losers,” and that he wouldn’t support the group’s relocation unless everyone is able to be accommodated.
However, if everyone is able to fit, he does support the idea.
The seniors’ current space is on the top floor of the library building, which Degagne said carries accessibility concerns. Although there’s a chair lift, not everyone who should use it chooses to do so, and their club’s space is underutilized as a result.
The Millennium Centre space would be more accessible, and have better parking thanks to its proximity to the arena.
Degagne said he hopes there’s community consultation to ensure everyone can be accommodated in the building, which Labbée pledged would take place as part of next year’s feasibility study.
Capreol Community Action Network secretary Laurie Larose told Sudbury.com that she and chair Melanie Lavoie have been discussing the Millennium Centre proposal a lot for the past few days and they like the idea in principle.
Similar to Degagne, they have concerns about everything fitting into the building.
“We would want to make sure that we get at least what we have,” Larose said, adding that if this proves to be the case, it’s an idea they support.
“It’s pretty exciting,” she said, adding the Millennium Centre is more accessible and might free up longer hours, since they’re currently limited to library operating hours.
“Just having more autonomy over our space, better hours and more flexibility to assist our community,” she said.
In the event that shifting library building operations to the Millennium Centre proves feasible, she said a conversation would take place to determine what would become of the existing library building.
“The community has an attachment to it because it used to be a municipal office, so for them, that’s their town hall,” she said. “People who have been here for a long time have that attachment to that building."
Capreol hasn’t lost its sense of autonomy and community pride in the wake of the 2001 amalgamation which created the City of Greater Sudbury, Labbée said, and there’s plenty of interest in creating Capreol’s own cultural hub.
“There’s lots of opportunity for growth, and council is recognizing there’s lots of potential in these outlying communities. So where we can, let’s save the resources we have,” she said.
“If we can consolidate it into one really robust building, where there’s a hub of activity and a lot of things for people to choose from to enjoy, it’s great."
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.