Orillia City Council held its first meeting back at City Centre on Dec. 11, 2023 after an expansive renovation was completed to improve the accessibility of the facility.
Chippewas of Rama First Nation Council member Dillon Bickell was in attendance to perform an Indigenous smudging ceremony to cleanse the space and acknowledge and honour 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,” said Mayor Don McIsaac. “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.”
The Council Chamber was initially designed and constructed in the early 1990s. The upgrades have improved accessibility, including enhancing the layout and functionality of seating, removing the variance of height between the current platform and the rest of the Council Chamber, and improving and upgrading audiovisual technology to enable virtual and hybrid meeting formats.
The City’s Accessibility Advisory Committee was consulted on the Council Chamber design and received a sneak peek of the renovated space after their meeting on Nov. 27, 2023.
“The City of Orillia’s enhanced accessibility within the Council Chamber is a commendable step towards a more inclusive community,” said Lilly Cadeau, Chair of the Accessibility Advisory Committee. “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. The new Chamber is very welcoming and accommodating.”
Funding for the Audiovisual and Accessibility Upgrades and Refurbishment project was approved by Council through the 2022 and 2023 budgets. The Council Chamber Audiovisual and Accessibility Upgrades and Refurbishment project started in June 2023 and was awarded to general contractor Bradanick Construction Services Inc. of Orillia, and Lake Country Office Solutions Inc. of Severn Township. The project was originally scheduled to be completed at the end of 2023 but has been finished earlier than anticipated and under the original budget.
For more information on the project and Council meetings, visit orillia.ca/councilmeetings.
