Repair bill for Calgary's municipal building on the rise

A council committee heard today that one of the most recognized downtown buildings needs $130millionin repairs.

• City Hall slowly recovering from extensive flood damage
• City Hall Parkade now open after flood damage

That is up from an earlier estimate that $80million was needed to keep the 29-year-old building in good shape.

"The blue building is one of our most critical assets and it's the one that's in the poorest condition that we have today," said Darrel Bell, the city's acting director of corporate properties.

He says a decision on repairs is needed soon.

"We have invested significantly over the last three years on roofs and electrical distribution systems,the base building systems that you don't see," said Bell.

"It is coming almost to the end of its life and it will continue to deteriorate without the money. In ourrequest, we don't believe there's enough capital envelope there to do the work we need to do so we will see a slow deterioration of the building unless we invest in it pretty soon."

Coun.Gian-CarloCarracalls the big bill a dilemma for city council.

"It comes down to the political question of whether the city's elected representatives are going totake taxpayer dollars to seemingly feather the nest, in which we spend our day," he said."Sotough, tough call."

Carrasays with a new downtown library rising soon behind City Hall, it's time to figure out how to open up thebuilding which currently cuts off the East Village from the rest of downtown.