Construction of the new aquatic centre downtown is 68 per cent complete, and on track to be complete late in the summer of 2022, according to a city council report.
As of Dec. 10, the city had spent $24.7 million of the project’s $36.25 million budget, director of civic operations Blake McIntosh wrote in his report to city council. In July, the city reported that deficiencies with the primer on the steel structural beams and the removal of unsuitable soil and old pipes beneath the site had driven up the cost of the pool by roughly $1.5 million.
The steel structural beams were delivered to the site, but once construction started crews noticed the primer wasn’t protecting the beams from corrosion. As a result, construction was delayed while the beams were recoated by a local business.
“I don’t intend on paying for that,” Coun. Kyle Sampson said, regarding the steel primer deficiencies.
The city is still looking at recovering that cost, McIntosh said. In addition, city staff have identified roughly $267,000 in savings in the cladding, glazing and pipe fittings.
“I look forward to seeing the pool progress and to see if we can make up for the steel,” Coun. Cori Ramsay said.
One potential expense which could drive up the cost of the project is heating the construction site over the winter months, McIntosh said. Construction sites are normally heated with propane burners, but the cost of propane is expected to triple over the winter months.
The project team is looking at connecting the site to the city’s district energy system early, to heat the facility during the remaining construction phase, he said.
Using the district energy system instead of propane heaters will improve the on-site air quality, he said, but will require some additional work to get done.
The City of Prince George began accepting expressions of interest from parties looking to bid on the naming rights for the new aquatic centre. The deadline to file an expression of interest is Jan. 18 at 2 p.m.
According to the city’s tender documents, those who submit accepted expressions of interest will then be contacted to submit a bid on the naming rights if the city decides to proceed with the process.
In November, city council voted to seek naming sponsors for the new aquatic centre, rather than engage in a public consultation process to select a name.
The city currently has naming rights agreements in place for CN Centre and Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
In March 2020, the city and CN Rail renewed the naming agreement for CN Centre. Under the five-year deal, CN Rail pays the city $75,000 per year for the naming rights
In January 2016, Rolling Mix Concrete signed a five-year deal with the city and the Spruce Kings for the naming rights of Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. Under that deal, the company pays between $25,000 and $30,000 per year to the city and Spruce Kings, and provide between $15,000 and $20,000 worth of concrete and $10,000 cash per year towards the construction of the Spruce Kings Show Home Lottery house.
In a separate report to city council, city administration reported that 37 of the city’s 42 current capital projects are on time and on budget.
Two were behind schedule, but on budget; two had budget concerns, but were on time; and the aquatic centre was the only project with both budget and schedule concerns.
“It is accurate to say most of our stuff is on time and on budget,” city director of finance Kris Dalio said. “It’s been a complete team effort from everyone from the top to the bottom (of the city organization.)”
Ramsay said the new reporting measures put in place, following the major cost overruns on the downtown parkade mean council “has an eagle eye” on the city’s capital projects.
“We are just going to get better and better on capital projects,” she said. “It looks like a really good progression.”
