A fact-check on the new City Hall
What the public record establishes about the new City Hall project cost and borrowing.
The cost of Armstrong’s new City Hall came up repeatedly during the election forums, with several different numbers attached to it.
The official record helps sort some of that out.
The City’s 2021 loan-authorization bylaw listed the estimated cost of constructing the new City Hall and Council Chambers at $5.6 million.
The same bylaw authorized the City to borrow up to $4 million.
Earlier project material indicates that a more ambitious version of the project had been estimated considerably higher before the design was reduced.
Those figures matter because different claims were made during the mayoral forum.
An audience member said the project had initially been expected to cost roughly $2 million and ultimately cost $7 million.
John Trainor later said the City Hall budget had grown from roughly $2.5 million to more than $11 million.
Chris Pieper disputed the figures and pointed to the City’s $4-million borrowing authorization.
The records reviewed by The Spall support the existence of the $4-million borrowing authorization.
They do not support an original $2-million City Hall budget.
I have also not found a primary City record establishing an $11-million City Hall construction cost.
The strongest primary figure found so far is the City’s own borrowing bylaw:
$5.6 million estimated project cost, with borrowing capped at $4 million.
The City’s later financial reporting shows the City Hall debt itself at approximately $4 million before repayment began.
I have not yet located a final City accounting stating the completed, all-in project cost.
The Spall is asking the City for that figure.
For that reason, this guide distinguishes between the estimated project cost, amount borrowed and final project cost rather than treating them as interchangeable figures.