LUNENBURG - Town officials will be meeting with their counterparts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) August 19 to discuss how to deal with mandatory upgrades required at the former Lunenburg fire hall.

 Four years ago the college reached an agreement with council which allowed students of their newly created artist-in-residence program to occupy studio and living space in the Duke Street building.

 All went well until earlier this year, when an inspection of the property by the town's fire inspector outlined $27,000 worth of safety improvements which would be required in order for students to live in the structure.

 During final deliberations in June, council opted to cut funding for the upgrades from the 2010-11 budget, putting the future of the program in possible jeopardy.

 Three days later, however, the mayor said the issue was "in flux "and was being revisited at the staff level.

 On July 21 fire inspector Arden Weagle gave a written report to council outlining the required repairs as well as the time frames - from 60 days up to one year - during which they must be completed.

 "Council had dealt with the matter during the budget deliberations and then had further opportunity to review it at a subsequent meeting," said Mayor Laurence Mawhinney. "We said, let's see if we can find some mutual way to address the concerns that were expressed by the fire marshall's report; let's see if there's a way that we can find to make sure that this relationship and a university presence in the community continues to work."

 He said NSCAD officials have been "very co-operative" in this regard "and I think it was only appropriate that we ask them to sit down with all of council and have the opportunity to share in a closed-door session some of the issues and see if we can work them through."

 He said there is still a possibility that the students will be able to remain in residence in the building.

 "Hopefully we can make staged provisions for the kind of upgrades that have to be done to the facility. It is a matter that is under active discussion, seeking to find a way of making it work," he said.

posted on 08/10/10