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Port's new building moving ahead

The Port Clements multi-purpose building is rapidly taking shape, with the walls now up and roof trusses expected to arrive next week, says village administrator Heather Nelson-Smith.The building, which will house the elementary school, library and council chambers, should be complete by the end of July, she said.That's a few months later than the original completion date of March 31, but the village has received permission from its funding partners for the extra time.Unusual amounts of snow in December and January snarled construction plans and delayed the project, she said.Besides the delay, the $4.2-million project is going well. Many local people are working at the site, and the construction manager is using locally-processed wood whenever possible, Ms Nelson-Smith said.Once the building is completed, the Port ambulance unit will be moving into the library's spot in the fire hall, she said. Council has not yet decided what to do with the community hall and village office, which will no longer be needed once the multi-purpose building is operating."It would be really nice is somebody wanted it," Ms Nelson-Smith said of the community hall. "We're open to anything as long as we don't have to pay for it."The community hall and village office cost around $30,000 a year to heat and light. Moving into the new and more efficient multi-purpose building will mean a huge cost savings for the village.