Judging by the work that's been going on at the Lac La Biche Provincial Court building, construction crews are presiding over a much-needed case of the fix-ups.
The single-room courthouse, which sits at the western end of the Lac La Biche Provincial Building, was fully covered with plastic construction tarps recently, as work began on what provincial officials say is a months-long project to update the 40 year-old building an upgrade its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Scaffolds mounted the outer walls and heavy equipment have been taking up much of the property around the outside of the building in recent weeks — but justice is still being carried out inside.
The courthouse has remained open to the public during the renovations — which government officials say will last last into next year.
"The construction project is an exterior building and HVAC upgrade," explained Ina Lucila, a spokesperson for Alberta Justice and Solicitor General."The project is scheduled for completion in March 2023."
Criminal docket cases at the Lac La Biche courthouse are heard by a judge alone on the first, second, third and fifth Mondays of each month. Family court matters are heard on the first Tuesday of each month. The construction project works around that schedule.
"Construction occurs on non-court days or times when the Court is not in session, so it is not disrupting court operations," said Lucila.
Open and shut
Provincial courthouses were closed to almost all public access during the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Virtual access to court matters was encouraged during that time. The access restriction remained in place until June 6 of this year when the Province allowed limited in-person attendance at Alberta docket courts.
Although courts are now open to the public in limited measures, several areas of proceedings are still being conducted through virtual or off-site means. For traffic ticket matters, as an example, in-person attendance is limited to those with trial dates and those wishing to submit a partial payment of a fine. More information on traffic ticket proceedings can be found at www.traffictickets.alberta.ca.
Despite the pandemic and now the construction, provincial court in Lac La Biche is available for those who need to be there.
"Court matters continue to be held at the Lac La Biche Provincial courthouse. In-person court appearances are being held in accordance with the Edmonton Region, Remote Appearance Practice Note," said Lucila, "and anyone seeking to access the courthouse can also do so in accordance to this policy."
New rules this month in court
While construction crews will be wearing protective gear on the site, visitors to the Lac La Biche Provincial Court will no longer be mandated to wear protective face masks. As of July 4, masking and social distancing are no longer mandated in public areas, including courtrooms. Despite the lifting of the mandate, a presiding judge may still order masks or social distancing in a courtroom where it may be warranted.
Provincial officials say that anyone testing positive for COVID-19 or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should not to attend a courthouse. If a court appearance is scheduled during the same time, court officials say defence lawyers or Legal Aid Alberta duty counsel (1-866-845-3425) should be contacted.
The courthouse construction comes just two years after a complete update and multi-million dollar renovation of the adjoining Lac La Biche Provincial Building that houses most of the regional offices of provincial service departments. A cost estimate for the courthouse updates was not available by the editorial deadline.
