After conducting city business at the Orillia Opera House over the past several months, city council has returned to Orillia City Centre in the newly renovated, fully accessible council chamber.
Improvements to the seating layout, audiovisual technology upgrades to facilitate hybrid meetings, and removal of the raised platform council previously occupied are among the renovations carried out through the $570,000 project.
Originally constructed in the early 1990s, the council chamber had seen smaller renovations over the years, but had reached a point where broader improvements were needed to keep up with technological and accessibility needs, city staff previously told OrilliaMatters.
At Monday’s council meeting, the first in the new space, Chippewas of Rama First Nation Council member Dillon Bickell performed an Indigenous smudging ceremony to cleanse the space and acknowledge the land the council chamber is situated on.
“On behalf of Orillia council, I would like to thank Council Member Bickell from the Chippewas of Rama First Nation for honouring the city’s council chamber with a traditional smudging ceremony,” Mayor Don McIsaac said in a news release.
“This is a new space for all to feel welcome. By enhancing the layout, removing barriers, and harnessing new audiovisual technology, we've not only modernized our council chamber; we've created an environment that further fosters inclusivity, transparency, and active participation for Orillia residents whether they are joining in person or watching at home," he added.
Lily Cadeau, chair of the city’s accessibility advisory committee, said the upgraded chamber is a “commendable step towards a more inclusive community.”
“This is an important space for community gathering and decision making. These upgrades not only remove physical barriers, but also demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that all residents, regardless of ability, can actively participate in the democratic process,” she said in the release. “The new chamber is very welcoming and accommodating.”
The chamber upgrades originate from a 2019 budget request, and council originally approved $530,000 for the project in 2022, but all bids to carry out the work exceeded that figure.
