Construction of the new Chatham-Kent Community Hub is 28 per cent complete and remains on budget, according to an update presented to council on Monday.
The new hub will bring together the Chatham Civic Centre, the Chatham branch of the Chatham-Kent Public Library and the Chatham-Kent Museum into a single, accessible and energy-efficient facility at 130 King St. W. in downtown Chatham. Council approved the construction award in October 2025, and the project is being funded through a combination of property sales, existing reserves and long-term financing, without any new property tax increases.
Fortis Construction Group Inc., based in Tecumseh, is the lead contractor. Construction began in December 2025 with site mobilization and demolition of the building’s interior and exterior. The building extensions to the north, housing the council chambers, and to the south, housing a library extension and storage area, are now complete, with steel structures and roof construction finished on the north end.
Crews are now working to finish the exterior of the building while continuing interior work on electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems, including ductwork installation and interior partitioning. Work currently underway includes structural steel, mechanical and electrical rough-ins, fireproofing, concrete cutting and coring, metal stud framing on the first and second floors, curtainwall framing and roofing activities. Key upcoming work includes roofing, masonry stair construction, freight elevator refurbishment, spray foam insulation and slab-on-grade concrete placement.
The total construction services contract is valued at $39,280,323, including HST rebate, coming in under the initial budget estimate of $42,920,000. The overall project budget remains at $52.8 million, including more than $7 million in contingency funds, consistent with the cost estimate presented to council in May 2025. As of Sept. 1, 10 progress payments had been made, with a balance remaining of $27,763,453.31 on the revised contract amount of $38,546,626.12.
The Community Hub is scheduled to be completed in early 2028, with detailed transition planning underway and expected to be communicated in mid-2027. There are no known delays to the project schedule.
