Mapleton council has authorized staff to reduce the scope of renovations at the Maryborough Community Centre here and to re-tender the project.
Council made the decision to proceed with a two-stage renovation process at the Aug. 22 meeting.
On June 6, council directed staff to proceed with the tendering of the Maryborough Community Centre project, based on pre-tender estimates and an approved budget of $599,120 plus a $72,000 contingency.
Those amounts were combined with provincial grants and debenture funds to comprise the overall approved budget of $834,120. Staff was directed to design tender documents to allow council to choose between base and optional items once tenders are submitted.
In January the township learned it was successful in obtaining $259,800 through the Ontario 150 Community Capital Grant Program for the hall in Moorefield, which was built in 1967.
The township budgeted $266,700 for the project in 2017 and a further $10,000 is anticipated from a Wellington County accessibility grant. Another $175,000 was diverted from other capital project budgets.
However, if the project goes ahead with all options presented, a debenture of $210,000 beyond what is currently budgeted would be required to reach the total project budget of $834,120.
The original tender for the project closed on July 25.
However, submitted bids were substantially higher than the budget amount council had authorized.
After consultation with staff and the project architect, VG Architects, The Ventin Group Ltd., reasons cited for the unfavourable tender results were a shortage of available capacity by contractors to do the work and the wide scope of work to be completed within a short time frame due to provincial grant funding guidelines.
In an Aug. 22 report, public works director Sam Mattina explained the intent of the re-tendering is to identify the project’s base components as submitted and approved under the Ontario 150 grant, and to complete that base component work within the provincial grant timeline.
The provincial grant funding has a project completion date of March 31.
“Subsequent to the provincial grant programs’ completion, a second tender (or negotiated procurement process) would procure … ‘additional items’ in winter January 2018, with plan to complete that work by spring 2018,” Mattina states in the report.
Staff and the project architect recommended reducing the scope of the overall project and re-tendering it in two phases in order to allow for work to be performed this fall and in the winter of 2018.
“This will allow conformance to the provincial grant funding timelines by completing the base project work before the grant expiration date of March 31, 2018,” Mattina explains in the report.
The revised base project will include only the necessary work to complete a substantive renovation that will comply with legislative requirements and qualify for the approved provincial grant funding. The revised base components include:
– accessibility ramps, inside and outside of the building
– a new entrance canopy;
– lighting upgrades;
– accessible washroom upgrades;
– floor and ceiling replacement;
– painting;
– outdoor concrete patio and fencing;
– heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) replacement; and
– roof work incidental to the HVAC replacement.
Under the plan approved on Aug. 22, remaining components of the renovation project will be considered by council for a separate contract that can be either negotiated with the successful low bidder, re-tendered or deleted completely following the completion of the original base contract and after the March deadline.
The additional items for subsequent consideration include:
– removing existing stage and related stairs;
– a new wall and double door to create storage;
– stage lighting, (if stage removal is not undertaken);
– two new windows along the front wall;
– a glass railing;
– new pre-finished metal sloped roof and soffit at existing mansard roof;
– replacing or refurbishing existing sloped metal gable roof;
– replacement of exhaust, renovation of exhaust hood, duct work and controls in kitchen;
– new mop sink and associated plumbing, drainage and exhaust system;
– replacement of the electrical service equipment in the existing electrical room;
– benches on the new concrete patio; and
– painting of existing storage room and corridor adjacent to kitchen.
A report on the results of re-tendering is expected to be presented to council by Sept. 26.
If approved, work on the base project will begin on Oct. 10, with an anticipated completion date of March 15.
“Staff will ensure that the maximum grant amount is expended by March 31, 2018. Any additional expenditures beyond March 2018 will be expended from the additional budget allocated beyond the original $536,500,” the report explains.
Councillor Lori Woodham expressed concern about putting windows in the “additional items” category.
She also wondered whether re-tendering would result in additional consulting fees and if it would create more opportunity for local contractors to get involved in individual elements of the project.
“I kind thought that was in the original plan, to brighten up the lower hall,” Woodham said of the additional windows.
Mattina replied the windows were “one of the extras to the project” and “in order to keep the costs down … we’re proposing that as an additional item.”
However, he noted additional natural light would still enter the lower hall through new sliding patio doors, which are still in the base project plans.
Mattina indicated council would have the option of letting some of the contracts for additional items separately, rather than in one large contract, which could provide more opportunity for local contractors.
Regarding consulting fees, Mattina said, “Should things go as planned, there’s no indication at this point … there will be any costs incurred.”
“Are you going to do the roof work regardless of anything?” asked councillor Dennis Craven, who pointed out the roof at the hall was leaking when he attended a function there in June.
“Yes, the roof repairs are in the base project,” Mattina replied. “They are required to update the HVAC system.”
