The City of Lonsdale spent many years with their city hall housed in a building not meant for its purpose near the fire hall at 415 Central Street NW, not to mention it was grossly undersized.
When Northfield Hospital and Clinic’s Lonsdale location, 103 15th Ave SE, on the east side of town decided to cease operations in November of 2023, city leaders saw an opportunity. They purchased the site and building in early 2024 and went to work at renovating it for the city hall location.
The sale was about $1.8 million dollars and renovation cost about $1.7 million for a total of about $3.3 million dollars.
It was a cheaper option than building a brand new facility, and it also provided a lot more space, which allows room for growth.
The building is not fully complete and the Lonsdale Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony last Thursday, Aug. 14, with the city holding an open house following from 4-6 p.m.
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“On behalf of the city council, the staff, and everybody in this community, we should have a big round of applause for it,” said Tim Rud at the ribbon cutting. Rud is the former mayor who was in office for most of the process of acquiring the building and its planning.
Current Mayor Tom Berg said, “I want everybody to give a loud round of applause for City Administrator Joel Erickson. I want to recognize you Joel because from its conception to the punchlist, you’ve been all about it. It’s all been you.”
City staff then proceeded to take people around the building showing it off. It features a lobby with a sitting area and the receptionist now has a glassed in office.
A smaller conference room with room for about eight people lies off to the right of the entry, and a small meeting room with a kitchenette lies on the left side upon entering. Going back into the left center of the building are the new council chambers with plenty of seating, and it can be partitioned from the council desk. It is a flexible space that also has some counter space and a sink. The right and back side of the building house such things as offices for staff, records, mechanical and storage.
Moving and completion of the new city hall places it right adjacent to the city’s new police station, with the car wash in between. The building has room for expansion for additional staff which they believe should serve the purposes of the community for 40 or more years.