With a number of Chatham-Kent employees working remotely due to the global pandemic, a Chatham-Kent councillor wants to have a long term discussion how it could impact future city hall renovations and operations in the future.
The Civic Centre in Chatham is starting to show its age and is in need of renovations. If there are less workers at city hall, it could affect future plans for the Civic Centre.
“Things are definitely changing. The work that we have seen in the past—the way it’s done—is going to change and is changing very rapidly. Maybe Chatham-Kent doesn’t need a Civic Centre or not one in a traditional sense,” said Chatham-Kent councillor Trevor Thompson, suggesting that a smaller building might be needed.
Marianne Fenton, Chatham-Kent’s Manager, HR Strategy and Workplace Culture, said about 38 percent of Civic Centre employees are currently working remotely.
“I think it’s really important as we have conversations about renovating city hall or potentially moving it that we need to keep this the back of our heads; we don’t build a building for yesterday, that we build it for tomorrow,” Thompson said.
Council approved a pilot working remotely policy at their council meeting on Monday night.