Centre Wellington councillors have voted 4-1 to award a $2.1-million tender for the Victoria Street pedestrian bridge.
The tender, approved at a special meeting of council on May 14, is $352,122 over the approved budget for the bridge work
Council agreed to fund the shortfall with reserves, including: wastewater capital, OLG funds, dedicated capital levy and general capital reserve.
Steve Taylor, president of township consulting firm BT Engineering, reminded councillors the bridge is part of a multi-year project in conjunction with the County of Wellington.
The pedestrian bridge is expected to be in place prior to the county’s replacement of the Badley Bridge (crossing the Grand River at Metcalfe Street). Taylor said a completed pedestrian bridge will mitigate the loss of vehicular access over the river.
Taylor said the township tried to obtain the lowest possible price and also accelerate construction. He noted the contract was let in two parts – one for the main portion of the bridge, the other for the pre-fab concrete beams – in order to save money.
Based on the public vote and subsequent approval by council, a bridge design was selected that includes a 6m deck with circular belvederes at mid-span.
While a large number of contractors came to the bid meeting, only five bids were received for the main bridgework and just two for the pre-fab beams.
Taylor said the bids “reflect a fair market price for the project.”
Infrastructure services managing director Colin Baker said some of the stone work for the bridge will be imported and some will be reused from the original piers.
The revised bridge design requires a lowering of the piers – to eliminate the current step up from Mill Street to the bridge deck – in order to meet accessibility standards.
He noted a number of utilities will cross the bridge and stressed construction does not include repointing of the stonework of the masonry piers or the lighting, though the conduits and preparation for future lights will be in place.
Baker said additional work will be happening on Mill Street West including new asphalt, sidewalks and amenity areas that include trees, benches and other features.
He said the Elora BIA requested all construction work be completed as soon as possible, noting, “We are looking to have the work completed by the end of August – with six weeks of construction in July and August.”
Corporate services managing director Dan Wilson said the tender for the concrete beams was awarded to McLean Taylor Construction Limited in the amount of $268,846, excluding contingency and HST.
The tender for bridge construction was awarded to Bronte Construction for just over $1,304,932 including alternative pricing and excluding contingency and HST.
Looking at the finances, Wilson said the overall project is $352,000 over budget.
Councillors were given three options:
– using available reserves to make up the shortfall,
– cancelling other projects, or
– deferring the project until the 2019 budget process.
Representing the Elora BIA, Resa Lent said business owners in Elora have waited long enough.
“I can hardly believe we are still waiting,” said Lent.
She added Wellington County informed the local council they would be replacing the bridge on Metcalfe St.
At that time, she said there was a unanimous decision to put a $1-million budget line into the 2016 budget to replace the foot bridge.
“The initial Macdonald Trust money showed up and suddenly the bridge build was conjoined with the West Mill redevelopment,” she said, noting the West Mill redevelopment was never discussed previously.
“Suddenly the amount of the trust money was equal to the amount needed for both the bridge rebuild and the West Mill development.
“Obviously this really isn’t so, because look at where we are today.”
She said beautiful designs were presented to the public – but once again exceeded the available budget.
The original budget became $1.8-million for two projects, and $400,000 spent on consultants bumped the cost to $2.2-million for the bridge alone.
Yet Lent stressed “this bridge build must go forward. We have waited long enough … and for the BIA … enough is enough.”
She concluded, “If both bridges are down, the downtown core will suffer. As a business community, we cannot afford any more delays or disruptions.”
Councillors spent about 30 minutes hashing out aspects of the project, notably the projected cost overrun.
Councillor Stephen Kitras wanted to know if there was an agreement with Pearle Hospitality regarding the bridge on the south side of the river – to ensure public access.
CAO Andy Goldie said the current agreement in place allows access to the parking lot while construction of both bridges is underway.
Goldie explained Pearle is still refining its south side development and “has yet to submit a final site plan to the township.”
He added the agreement will deal with necessary easements, utility hookups and other items.
Kitras replied, “So you are asking us to spend $2.1-million on this project without any agreement with Pearle on the other side. It seems you are not protecting the taxpayers and citizens here.”
Goldie reiterated “we do have the commitment of Pearle … but there are details which still need to be worked out.” He stressed there will continue to be public access throughout that property.
Councillor Fred Morris asked what led to the delay in tendering.
Baker stated efforts to have the bridge meet accessibility standards required the bridge piers to be lowered by up to a metre – and “we needed to ensure there were no adverse impacts.”
Morris asked the total cost of what has been spent, what was just approved and what is yet to be spent on the project.
Wilson stated the total bridge cost will be about $2.1-million, but adding in West Mill the total cost would be about $3.8 million.
Morris then asked if there were estimates for the repointing and lighting.
Baker said the estimate is about $250,000 and the items would go through the budget process.
Councillor Steven VanLeeuwen asked for a clarification of the amount being spent through the trust fund versus tax dollars. He said he thought most of the trust fund dollars were removed from the West Mill project.
Wilson said about $1.63-million of the trust will be spent on the bridge and a small amount was already spent in the original design process.
Morris said since 2016 council has been very supportive of this bridge, but he called it “unfortunate” that the price has gone “from the original quote of $1 million to about $4 million.”
“It is difficult to accept,” he said, adding “when I look at the $352,000 of overtures, all but $48,000 (from OLG funds) is coming from the taxpayers.”
Kitras called the process “convoluted” and said it is “outrageous” the price has risen to close to 4 million. It is
Kitras suggested the proposed performance review of the CAO needs to happen in the near future.
“We’ve used all the money generously given (from the trust) … but this shows we need fiscal accountability and a citizen’s group that oversees this,” said Kitras.
“We are pouring $4-million into this and I have residents telling me they want their roads and bridges fixed. This seems like a lot of money to be spent on a walking bridge.”
Kitras said there was the lure of the trust fund being able to cover the cost “and now it is being paid for through the taxpayers’ money.”
Mayor Kelly Linton agreed it was a complicated project. However, he said each step of the project was approved by council.
Linton also agreed there were overruns, and again council was presented options and there were numerous consultations along the way.
Linton maintained cost overruns with bridge projects is not unique to Centre Wellington – “It is something happening across the province.”
The mayor said no one is happy with the cost overrun, but he called the bridge “a critical project for downtown Elora.”
The bridge work is set to begin this summer. Work on Mill Street West is expected to be completed by the end of August while the bridge is anticipated to be completed by mid-November.
Mayor Linton and councillors Morris, VanLeeuwen and Dean Workman voted in favour of moving ahead with the work. Kitras was opposed.
Councillor Kirk McElwain was absent and councillor Don Fisher declared a conflict of interest.
