Cataraqui Conservation has entered into an agreement with Frontenac County which would see both organizations share the benefits and resources of joint administrative facilities in an expanded and fully renovated building, now under construction at 2069 Battersea Rd. in Glenburnie.
This location is the current site of Frontenac County’s administration offices, which have been marked for significant renovations for many years to incorporate a crucial need for space, to improve efficiency and sustainability and to modernize operations. A number of years ago, recognizing similar needs for its outdated Administration Facility at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area, Cataraqui Conservation senior staff and Full Authority Board entered into discussions with Frontenac County on what would become a mutually beneficial arrangement to share a facility.
The Cataraqui Conservation Administrative building, now in use at the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area off Perth Road in Glenburnie, was built in 1974. It is inadequate for Cataraqui Conservation needs and requires structural repairs. The Frontenac County administrative offices at 2069 Battersea Road includes a lightly renovated century farmhouse and is similarly inadequate for its purpose. To repair and renovate both administrative buildings would be much more expensive and less efficient than combining resources to build and share a new/renovated building with flexible, collaborative space to meet the needs of both organizations.
“With this new partnership, Frontenac County and Cataraqui Conservation staff, councillors, and board members will have access to badly needed modern and energy-efficient offices and workspaces,” says Frontenac County Warden, Denis Doyle. “It’s a way for our two organizations to collaborate and to share some costs and resources while providing the most efficient delivery of services possible to our clients and constituents. Sharing meeting rooms and entrances has the added benefit of lowering our overall carbon footprint.”
“Cataraqui Conservation has long outgrown our Administrative building,” says Cataraqui Conservation Board Chair, Paul McAuley. “By working together with our Frontenac County colleagues, we will better equip staff for the future while saving valuable financial resources for the increasingly critical work of environmental protection and conservation.”
It must be pointed out that other than shifting locations, all programs, services, and properties operated by Cataraqui Conservation will continue as they always have. Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area will still be home to the Outdoor Centre and all programs such as Education and Public Programs (Maple Madness, ski rentals, and weekend programs) will continue to operate out of the Conservation Area. It will also continue to be the main base for Cataraqui Conservation Operations staff at the Little Cat Workshop.
Services that will be located at the new joint Administration Facility on Battersea Road will include staff from the following program areas: Conservation Lands, Development Review, Watershed Science and Engineering, Drinking Water Source Protection, Corporate Services and Administration.
The construction process has meant some temporary dislocation for both organizations. For example the Frontenac County Community Paramedics have moved to the current Cataraqui Conservation Administration building at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area until the renovations of the Battersea Road building are complete. There is no impact to their service capabilities during this transition and visitors should not be alarmed at seeing their vehicles on site. Most of Cataraqui Conservation’s staff have been working a hybrid model of in office and remote work, so they will continue to do so until the new facility is ready. There will be no impact to Cataraqui Conservation services during the construction phase of the new building and staff will be available during regular business hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday, via email, phone, or in person by appointment.
Construction has already begun at the Frontenac County site. The project is expected to take a little more than a year to complete at a cost of $4.5 million. One third of the overall budget and construction costs will be the responsibility of Cataraqui Conservation.
If you have any questions or seek more information about Cataraqui Conservation’s part of this process and the new facility itself, contact info@crca.ca.