Update on temporary hoarding at Hamilton City Hall

HAMILTON, ON - The temporary hoarding installed at the rear entrance of City Hall was put in place following occupational health and safety, property maintenance and fire code concerns. Those concerns also included several incidents of violence and drug use taking place at the entrance to the workplace.

After receiving a number of questions and concerns from members of the public and media regarding the safety of the installation and requirement for a building permit, staff conducted a review of the processes that were followed.

After a review, it was determined that although the structure is safe, a miscommunication between departments led to an error related to materials and permitting.

We can confirm the following:

• A Building Permit is required for the temporary hoarding
• A Heritage permit is not required as the fasteners do not penetrate the building façade
• The initial plywood material initially used to erect the hoarding has been replaced with the appropriate material having the required fire resistance rating

The City has also hired a third-party engineering firm to review the structure. Professional engineers have confirmed with the Director of Facilities and the Director of the Building Division that both the airflow and the building are safe with the current temporary hoarding in place.

As a next step, City staff will be obtaining the necessary building permit to confirm that the structure is in compliance with the Ontario Building Code.

Individuals who seek shelter will continue to have access to expanded shelter spaces and warming centres will continue to be made available during cold alerts.