Fort Simpson (May 13/05) - The future workplace of close to 30 government employees currently occupying Dehcho Hall remains unknown.

The aging building is scheduled to be shut down by mid-2006. Because the majority of workers in Dehcho Hall belong to Education, Culture and Employment, that department's officials will decide whether the building remains in use beyond 2006, according to Bruce Rattray, deputy minister for Public Works.

"If they do decide that, they would have to go to the Financial Management Board and ultimately to the legislature to get the dollars to refit it," Rattray said.

A thorough renovation is expected to cost $17-$19 million, he noted. In correspondence to village council, Finance Minister Floyd Roland referred to that amount as "prohibitively expensive."

A couple of private investors have expressed interest in taking over the building, Rattray acknowledged. However, their involvement would be dependent on their ability to generate an "adequate revenue stream" from the building, he said.

The fire marshal will be the one to indicate under what terms the facility remains safe enough to occupy, according to Rattray.

Tyrone Larkin, assistant fire marshal for the Deh Cho, said Dehcho Hall requires an upgrade to the sprinkler system. It could also use improved "fire separations" - essentially placing gyproc in areas to keep fire in compartments, he explained.

"Basically we've got a structurally sound old building... it's 50 years old. It's probably served its expected lifetime," said Larkin, who inspected the building in November and again last month.

"I'm not out there to shut the building down tomorrow or something," he said. "I just want to see it safer."

Officials from Public Works stated last year that the department would have an "accommodation plan" for workers at Dehcho Hall completed by spring of 2005. In correspondence to the village in March, Roland noted that that plan won't be available until fall of 2005.

"No comment," Rattray said in regards to the delay.

Roland stated that "relocation of users to alternate facilities is perceived to be the only viable option at this time."

Where to go?

Mark Cleveland, deputy minister of education, said he frankly does not yet know whether there is enough alternative office space in Fort Simpson.

"Once we know what the needs are, then we'll look at what the options are," said Cleveland.

Andrew Gaule, who owns an office building in Fort Simpson, said he has only about 700 square-feet of vacant office space left. If more is needed, he said he would like to see the government put out a call for expressions of interest. He could add a second storey to his building, but Gaule said he will need more than a month's notice to prepare.

Bob Hanna, deputy mayor of Fort Simpson, a vocal supporter of maintaining the hall, said he fears that Fort Simpson will lose government positions to Yellowknife if Dehcho Hall is closed and enough alternative office space cannot be found locally.

Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche has also been lobbying to save Dehcho Hall because residents of Fort Simpson are "definitely interested in maintaining our building," he said.

He said he's heard of a more recent estimate of $2 million to bring the building up to code. Rattray responded that he knows of no such assessment and questioned its validity.

Menicoche said, "It makes sense; to replace the pipes and some wiring, you don't really have to gut the whole building to extend the life another five or 10 years."

Looking elsewhere

The non-profit groups housed in the building - the library, the Open Doors Society and the Historical Society - will be left to find new homes.

Teresa Watson, a John Tsetso Memorial Library board member, said she wishes a definitive answer would be given soon so her board can plan one way or the other.

"We would like the building not to be condemned," Watson said. "We certainly aren't likely to be allocated as much space anywhere else as we have (now), and that's a big issue for us."

Lauren Muir, chair of the board for the Open Doors Society, a family resource centre, said she and her board members have been "exploring options," but she didn't want to publicly disclose details yet.

Those options, Muir acknowledged, are limited by government funding that won't cover costs of higher rent. Having Dehcho Hall remain operational would "definitely make a big difference," she said.