It’s taken three years but the Mapleton Public Works department is back “home” for Christmas.
Earlier this month, department operations were moved into the new township maintenance facility built to replace the previous works shop that was destroyed by fire in December 2013.
The township gained occupancy of the new shop on Nov. 7 and over the last few weeks staff have been setting up and moving equipment, supplies and tools.
“We are fully operational as of a couple of weeks ago,” stated CAO Brad McRoberts in a Dec. 15 email.
Mayor Neil Driscoll said staff and township officials are pleased with how it’s working out.
“So far I’m hearing the guys are really happy … it’s really bright in there and it’s a nice working space,” said Driscoll.
“I’m really impressed with how it turned out … they really met our needs. It had its little bumps along the way, but now that its finished Chamberlain (construction managers Chamberlain Construction Services) I think did a very good job.”
The eight-bay garage, which is linked to the Mapleton administration building on Sideroad 16 by a corridor containing a meeting room, additional office space and other facilities, also replaces the Moorefield maintenance facility, which is now closed.
Though an earlier completion target in August was missed, Driscoll told the Community News in a telephone interview on Dec. 15 that delays were due to minor issues and the project remains on budget.
“We’re within our budget for sure,” said Driscoll.
“There was just some small stuff … where the shop connected to the office there were some things that our (chief building official) wasn’t happy with as far as how the electrical came through the building for fire protection.”
Driscoll added one of the fire protection tanks wasn’t holding water properly, “so they have that fixed now too.”
McRoberts said he is unable to provide “hard and fast” final figures at this point, but is confident the project will be on budget.
“We still have some equipment and items to purchase but the project as a whole is under budget and will not be over budget,” he stated.
The overall project budget, including equipment, construction, construction management and design, was $5,432,290 as approved in Mapleton’s 2015 capital budget. The construction estimate for the project was $5,155,542.
McRoberts said a final accounting report will be presented to council in the near future.
Facilities in the building include a truck wash area, which will be shared with the Wellington County roads department. The county is expected to begin construction on a new maintenance facility of its own on the same site in the spring. The new facility will replace the county’s current Drayton roads department garage.
Driscoll said an official public opening of the building will be held sometime in the spring.
