Frustration is mounting as occupancy of the new Community Centre continues to be delayed.
Now quickly drawing to a close, this year saw several shifts in the expected opening date for the approximately $19 million project. A February estimate of late April was later replaced with multiple summertime opening goals, before those too switched to the end of October. Having passed that mark by several weeks, the end of the year has been mentioned as a possible occupancy date.
“We’re moving close to the end of the project, unfortunately it’s just not moving at the rate we would like,” said Bowen’s chief administrative officer Kirn Dhillon during a meeting of the Mayor’s Task Force on Infrastructure on Nov. 7. He explained several deficiencies were found during inspections of the fire and life safety systems in the building earlier that day.
“We’re now in a position where we have to seriously look at our contingencies on when we can get into the building. It’s a laborious task of tracking deficiencies and making sure they’re getting done and executed,” said Dhillon.
The CAO pointed out there was plenty to be optimistic about despite the delays such as the rooms themselves inside the building, including the theatre, programming rooms, and the new home of Municipal Hall. But until many of the unseen issues are addressed – ones which mechanical engineers and fire inspectors would find – nobody can move into the new space.
“I think frustration is an apt descriptor of what some of us are feeling here. But we’re trying to be proactive and work with the contractor on solutions to see if we can steer them in the right direction,” said Dhillon, adding the municipality may need to start “looking at other options now to help the contractor see the urgency of our situation.”
Coun. Tim Wake asked the CAO if he was confident the contractor, Signia Construction, was working on these issues as fast as possible. “No I’m not,” was Dhillon’s blunt response. “I was on-site today (Nov. 7) and I saw maybe three people working… I would have expected to see a dozen people on-site putting in their full efforts.”
“I’m not seeing that, and I think we’re going to have to pursue other options there in terms of how we’re going to compel some performance out of this contractor,” said Dhillon.
The municipality originally had control of their current location at 981 Artisan Lane until the end of October, but given the delays have negotiated a new lease to retain use of the building for Municipal Hall until the Community Centre is complete.
