Council’s administration offices at Gundagai are currently undergoing a long-awaited refurbishment. Built in 1979 the offices have served the community well over the last 42 years.
The $250,000 project is being funded from the initial merger implementation funds, set aside when the two former Councils were merged into the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC) in 2016.
CGRC mayor, Cr Abb McAlister said he was pleased the work on the administration offices has started.
“This project has been in the pipeline since 2016. There’s been a lot of planning go into the new fit out and consultation with the staff has taken place. We’ve looked at how the staff work now, and it’s very different to when the building was created in 1979. Whilst many people see the interior of the Council Chambers, they don’t see what’s behind the Customer Service Counter this refurb is long overdue, the staff need an environment fit for purpose to carry out their duties,” Cr McAlister said.
“Our Facilities and Project Management team, wanted to concentrate on completing the community projects, before starting on the Council offices renovation. The roof has been leaking for years, there’s water damage throughout the building. It’s very hard to heat in the wintertime and keep cool in the summer. There are many aspects of the layout that do not meet current Workplace Health and Safety Guidelines. The interior is old, tired and doesn’t address the changing conditions now required for safe, healthy and productive work practices,” Cr McAlister added.
The refurbishment will address technology issues and overcrowding of the current office space. A new roof, floor coverings and workstations will be installed. The design features an open plan workspace and dedicated office spaces where needed. New cabling and computer terminals will be instated, and the interior given a fresh coat of paint.
During the works, the Customer Service Counter will be located in the Gundagai Library. Other staff will be located within the Council Chambers room, Library and Council depot. The work is expected to be completed by the end of November 2021.
Pictures and captions: the interior of CGRC admin offices at Gundagai are currently undergoing a long-awaited refurbishment. The project will bring the offices up to date and meet the needs of council office staff.