The final figures are in, and it looks like the arena costs for Mount forest costs are under $10-million – before financing costs are taken into account.
At the June 29 council meeting, Wellington North Mayor Mike Broomhead said $10-million was one of the original estimates, and the project came in under that.
Councillor Dan Yake added the process began back in 2003, when a committee was first formed to consider repairing or replacing the aging Mount Forest community centre. In 2007, construction began on a new Sports complex.
The new structure was completed last fall with a gala opening in September.
The cost summary include a number of “extras” for the job that had been intended to be done at a later date but, due to some savings, had been realized elsewhere, so council did that work during the construction.
The cost was funded with ongoing fundraising activities, a significant contribution from the Township of Southgate, a significant grant from the province, reserve funds over a number of years, and a township debentures. The costs are:
– H. Bye Construction, $9,031,609;
– G.M. Diemert Architect Inc., $319,247; and
– miscellaneous equipment, $136,572 (concession equipment, ice surface hose and reel, tables and chairs, staging, cleaning equipment, window covering, freezers and microwaves, horse tie ups, ice surface glass carts, water treatment plumbing, signs, telephone.)
The main costs totalled $9,487,428. Additional costs also included:
– elevator, $52,250;
– walking track floor covering, $24,87;5
– Plume Room, $100,000;
– backup heating system boiler, $60,000; and
– resurfacer room water system, $18,000.
Those additional costs added $255,125 to the total bill.
Yake explained “Our committee decided to look forward, knowing the cost to install the extras at a later point could cost even more.”
He added there were some savings installing extras during the original build, rather than later.
Yake said that H. Bye Construction went “above and beyond” with its work on the facility. He was pleased at being able to hire a local contractor, which in turn, hired a number of local subtrades.
As for the architect, Yake said G.M. Diemert was able to take the committee ideas and put them on paper “to create a facility that this community can be proud of.”
As for some “extras,” Yake said the Plume Room was always intended to be finished off at some point. “We felt it would be a great room for rentals, and with council’s indulgence we moved ahead.”
He explained the room was named after Bev Plume, who was instrumental in making the new facility a reality.
Yake also added that with the final figures now in, this would be his last official duty as part of the Mount Forest Sportsplex building committee.
When asked if the figures included financing debt costs, Mayor Mike Broomhead said the answer is “no.”
Treasurer John Jeffrey said those costs are incurred over 10 to 15 years.
Broomhead said those costs were presented when council reviewed debenturing options for the facility. “It’s like a mortgage on a house; it sounds like a horrendous amount.”
Those numbers were provided by the township treasurer the following day.
Jeffrey stated in his report “The total interest cost for the three debentures issued for the Sports complex is as follows:
– 2007, $823,062;
– 2008, $729,928;
– 2009, $681,172; for a
– total of $2,234,162.
