Workers scramble at aquatic centre
Crews try to make up delay caused by late sealift delivery
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, October 19, 2015
IQALUIT
Heavy ice in Frobisher Bay slowed down a sealift delivery and set the aquatic centre three weeks behind schedule, but the project is still on budget and contractors are making up the time fast.
Construction workers are cranking out the aquatic centre at a rapid pace after summer sealift delays set the project back by three weeks. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo |
Pierre Meredith, with MHPM Project Managers, presented an update to Iqaluit city council on the project.
He said that Kudlik Construction Ltd., the company tasked with the overall construction of the centre, has indicated it will try to make up the three weeks lost.
"However, success will depend on favourable fall weather conditions to allow progress on the concrete work to continue through to the end of November," Meredith stated in his report to council.
Based on the current forecast costs of roughly $40.68 million, the project will be completed on budget, he said.
The city has received $1.875 million from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and $5.749 million from the Bank of Montreal for financing.
City staff have approved $80,900 of change orders to Kudlik, something Coun. Terry Dobbin questioned.
"We're talking taxpayer dollars," said Dobbin, asking who approved the change orders and for an explanation of them.
"I have a spending authority to a certain amount," said the city's recreation director, Amy Elgersma.
Meredith explained that the change orders involved higher insurance requirements than expected for $42,000, $17,000 in missing pool components, $25,000 in additional steel orders and a credit of $3,000 to the city for a change in the pool's pump manufacturer.
"The city is getting monthly rent from Kudlik as well as another tenant on site," for $80,000 to 90,000, added Elgersma.
"I'd like for council to be kept abreast of what's going on," with regards to cost of the project, said Dobbin afterwards.
Asked about how the fundraising campaign for the pool was going, Elgersma was not able to provide a total of funds raised so far.
She said operating and maintenance costs for the aquatic centre would come in at about $2 million per year.
Kudlik is working beyond its original planned end date for winter construction of Nov. 6 in order to make up for the sealift delay. The aquatic centre is projected to open in 2017.
