Future municipal building in Tiny raising ire of protesters

A slow chorus of voices against a proposed replacement for Tiny Township’s aged municipal building has been building over the past year, with an announcement that protesters will be outside the Balm Beach Road West council chambers this afternoon.

Spearheaded by Tiny resident Karen Zulynik, the peaceful protest is expected to include signs reflecting some residents’ rejection to a proposed multimillion-dollar township hall, which included a $400,000 price tag on the recent draft budget for the design phase to start the project.

Comments on social media and in council chambers through previous deputations noted that some of the residents in protest weren’t given the opportunity to voice their opposition to the building.

On the ‘new municipal administration building’ page of the Tiny Township website, the municipality provided the road map and documentation regarding the building and its community involvement, beginning in 2013 with a building needs assessment and continuing over the decade with various committees, tours, reports, consultations, and public information sessions listed chronologically.

Noted in a 2022 asset management report, the building was ranked as "very poor" on the lowest tier of a scale for age of the township’s non-core assets.

In council meetings over the past year, members of council and staff have defended the need to replace the current facility; recently, public works director Tim Leitch agreed with Coun. Kelly Helowka’s statement that deferring the project “would be catastrophic.”

Mayor Dave Evans said without infrastructure reinvestment that the building, “one of the poorest assets we have … it will fall down.”

Such comments weren’t enough to placate those readying to protest, despite vocalizing opposition during involvement at three simultaneous public engagement sessions across the municipality in early December, prior to the draft budget discussions.

Zulynik said the protest will begin at today (Jan. 10) 4:30 p.m.

“There is a big movement here in Tiny regarding the new administration building and the majority of taxpayers are unaware of what's going on," Zulynik said. "And the property owners that are aware have been very outspoken and are against it or at least want it put on hold so there can be more discussion.”