It looks like Tillsonburg is finally close to settling on a new town hall location. Tillsonburg’s long journey towards building a new town hall appears to be nearing an end.
Jan 20, 2026 • Last updated Jan 20, 2026 •
Tillsonburg Council has decided to renovate its Customer Service Centre at 10 Lisgar Ave. into the new Town Hall site. FILE
Tillsonburg’s long road towards building a new town hall appears to be nearing an end.
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During its meeting on Jan. 13, town council instructed staff to finalize a design-build contract with Paulsan Construction for the renovation of the customer service centre/town hall project at a cost of $6 million.
The project will unfold in three phases, featuring significant renovations and additions to the service centre located at 10 Lisgar Ave.
Council had considered other alternatives, such as a separate building, in earlier discussions; however, Geno Vanhaelewyn, chief building official, described the CSC project as “the best value and functionality that would bring town administration and tax services under one central location.”
The first phase focuses on transforming the back bay area of the existing structure into usable office space.
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Phase two will convert the front bay area and mezzanine level of the current CSC into a complete council chamber along with support office spaces, public washrooms, a new public entrance, and a customer service counter. The current public entrance and customer service counter will be removed for more office space dedicated to different departments.
Phase three will involve minor adjustments to the present office area plus aesthetic upgrades in existing offices and washrooms like new flooring, paint, and ceiling tiles for better overall look and efficiency.
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“The key benefits here consolidate town staff and council after over 40 years in various locations while improving efficiency, collaboration, and service delivery,” Vanhaelewyn stated. “This plan reduces operating costs as well as long-term capital expenses while keeping a central downtown location with opportunities for future expansion- all for about one-third of what it would cost for an entirely new town hall.”
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The staff looked into which parts of the CSC needed upgrades over the next ten years so they could include that work within this project. Renato Pullia, director of finance/treasurer said this initiative is expected to save approximately $1.4 million for the town. Additionally, they’ll recover the $76,000 per year spent renting space at Tillsonburg Town Centre Mall. Diving into expressions of interest during this project led staff to collaborate with four local design-build construction firms regarding renovation feasibility. “We want to reassure everyone that (this project) does not impact the (2026) levy,” Pullia added. “This process began back in 2016; it’s great that we’re finally getting there.” Councillor Peter Luciani expressed his approval regarding progress on this undertaking. This has not loaded yet; however your article goes on below. “It’s encouraging seeing this plan move forward quickly,” Luciani remarked. “It appears to be an excellent solution.. Kudos to everyone involved.” An estimated $3.23 million (56 percent) will come from debenture financing; $1.7 million from land sales; and $850 thousand from reserves set aside for upgrading Town Hall facilities. Further land sales over upcoming years could assist council in reducing their debt levels. “With today’s rate at around 4.48 percent on $3.237 million for thirty years – annual payments would total approximately $242 thousand or about $261 thousand at rates around four-point-four percent over twenty-five years,” states one report from Council.“The annual budget currently allocated covering corporate office needs- including rent utilities maintenance among others-is roughly estimated at around$337 thousand.”Share this article across social networks!
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