OVTC approves space needs assesment contract

On July 25, the Oneida Vilas Transit Commission (OVTC) formally approved a contract for a space needs assessment with Angus Young Architects/Engineers. The OVTC is responsible for the operations of the Northwoods Transit Connections (NTC), which is currently based in Rhinelander.

The formal approval of the contract to have the assessment completed is the just the latest step in what has been a long process already to find a new home for NTC. 

NTC director Barb Newman said Monday the OVTC already has another grant to have the architecture and engineering for a new building in place but the space needs assessment is the next step. Under terms of a different state grant that will fund the study, the OVTC has up to a year to have the study completed “but I’m hoping to have it done much sooner than that.”

“They (Angus Young) will come look at our building, they’ll look at the equipment that we have, they’ll look at what we need for a maintenance garage and they’ll look at what we need for storage,” she said. 

Newman said another item that will be looked at will be in where the new NTC facility would be constructed, meaning it doesn’t have to be Rhinelander or Eagle River but in “the Lakeland area or anywhere in between.”

“There might be somewhere that’s convenient for all the buses where we could meet at one point during the day that would be a good spot,” she said. “Either in Oneida or Vilas County.”

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].