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Sechelt’s operations centre costs go up

Spring start slated for project priced at over $3 million
Connie Jordison
N.Operations Centre
An artist’s rendering of the proposed public works and parks operations centre planned for Sechelt.CAERUS CONSTRUCTION LTD. GRAPHIC

Costs to build Sechelt’s Public Works and Parks operation centre have increased by about 20 per cent to $3,016,397 plus GST.

At a special meeting held Sept. 22, Sechelt council approved the new total and the project’s design-build agreement with Caerus Construction.

“This is the document we need to start getting shovels in the ground,” said director of engineering and operations Kirn Dhillon.

Construction is slated to begin in spring 2022, Dhillon told Coast Reporter. Council, he said, will receive an update in late November on the building plans for the structure, to be located on the existing works yard site between Dusty and Allen roads, when the preliminary design is finalized.

In his report presented at the meeting, Dhillon noted that almost a year had passed since council said it wanted to proceed with the project at a price of $2.5 million. That amount was based on a bid submitted by Caerus in May 2020.

He explained that due to the time lag between bid submission and agreement negotiations, Caerus was provided the opportunity to review its pricing. The company found that supply chain and labour disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had escalated construction costs and revised its bid.

Staff and an independent contractor reviewed the changes, which Dhillon said were “reasonable given the circumstances.”

Dhillon’s report says the new price remains about $800,000 under the amount of funding the municipality has earmarked for the project. That amount includes funds held in reserves and borrowing of up to $3 million, which was authorized in March after a successful alternative approval process. The adjusted contract cost will leave adequate funding for consulting and archeological services, as well as off-site civil works.

Construction completion is targeted for Nov. 30, 2022, Dhillon said, adding that with a design build contract there are provisions to hold Caerus to that timeline barring any unforeseen conditions.

“I’m hopeful that we will get done before that date,” he said.

In concluding the discussion at the meeting, Mayor Darnelda Siegers said “it is nice to see this moving forward.”