Councillors here passed three bids relating to local recreation facilities in Harriston.
First off, council awarded the tender for the Harriston arena refrigeration compressor replacement. That went to Jim Doig for $45,514 plus tax.
Mayor David Anderson called the bid a “double ‘l’ … lowest and local.”
Next up was the bid for the Harriston evaporative condenser replacement. Council approved the bid by Black & McDonald Ltd. (Hamilton) for $42,000 plus tax.
The third bid, for the Harriston curling chiller replacement went to Toromont (London/Toronto) for $49,680 plus tax.
Councillor Rick Hembly asked, “with three different contractors, will they be in each other’s way?”
Recreation Director Dave Stonley’s response was, “I don’t believe so.”
He explained the curling chiller is in a separate room and the compressor in its own room, while the condenser is outside. As a result, he did not see them working in the same area.
Hembly was curious that one of the three contractors had not bid for all the work.
“I sincerely believe we saved money by breaking the tender up,” Stonley said.
“It was a unique situation where contractors did not need to be working within the same room. It gave us the opportunity to break up the work and take advantage of the savings.”
Treasurer Gord Duff added that all of the work qualified for the government infrastructure stimulus funds.
