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Pool on track for early-May opening |
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008 |
The Taber Aquafun Centre is on schedule for an early-May opening.
By Garrett Simmons
Taber Times
And while an expected opening date is not yet known, those involved with overseeing the project know there is still a lot to be done to bring the facility back on-line.
With work ongoing on the facility, town council learned an additional $434,127.51 would be needed to complete the work. Of that total, $35,000 was to come from the cash allowance built into the original contract, which also included a $132,435 contingency for unforeseen repairs and work.
Additional project funding accounted to $266,692.51, which included an additional $25,000 for unforeseen work and costs during the remaining balance of the project.
According to Aline Holmen, the town's leisure services co-ordinator, the extra costs came about for three reasons. Of the 51 items that made up the additions to the Aquafun Centre project expenses, the expansion of two projects ate away a combined $95,549.35 more than expected.
The big-ticket item was pool repairs and tile work. Holmen explained as work on the hot tub near the drain areas was commencing, bigger problems were found when a few tiles were pulled up. As a result, a $20,000 price tag rose to $100,959.60.
"They (the contractor) were not going to warranty the $20,000 without doing the more major work," said Holmen, who added in the end, there really was no choice other than to pay for the extra work on the leisure pool. "It came down to a decision - do we find the extra funds or not have a leisure pool."
The other price jump came with duct work over the lap pool, which was staled to cost $5,000. Holmen added a scope and a paint job as the original plan but in the end, that had to be scrapped, as it was determined a section that had nearly rusted through had to be replaced, to meet Occupational Health and Safety regulations. With materials, and a comprehensive scaffolding system which had to be built, the cost escalated to $20,489.75.
With the increased scope of those two projects off the books, the pool project would have been about $90,000 under budget.
As such, 18 items were added to the budget, at a grand total of about $80,000, to fill out the expected leftover funds from the contingency. Two of these items, said Holmen, included $10,000 for mechanical valves and $20,000 for pumps, things she added should have been included in the original contract but for some reason, were not.
Rob Cressman, the town's public services manager, added the budget for the project was under control originally, until the increased scope of work for tiling, leisure pool repair and duct work was added.
"The contingency was there for a reason," he said. "There's no question it (the contingency) would have covered some of the things we were asking council for that were not in the original plan."
To round out the costs, $139,837.95, which according to Cressman and Holmen, were to be budgeted out later, was tacked on to the project. That included 17 additional projects, from items as small as $600 for waterslide windows repairs to major items like $53,025 for exterior concrete replacement and $35,800 for acoustics improvements, to bring the facility up to Workers Health and Safety regulations for sound.
According to Holmen, the decision was made to try and do the additional work at this time.
"Now is the time to do it. The pool is ripped apart now," she said, and added the additional improvements will ensure the Aquafun Centre should not have to be shutdown again until September of 2009.
In the end, Cressman added the facility will be in better shape come early May, than it would have been without the additional work being done.
"We're actually accomplishing a lot more work now within the same time frame."
Next month, once renovations are further along, the process of getting the pool up and running will begin. Holmen added all pools will begin to be filled on about April 17. That should give enough time for the water to warm to an appropriate temperature, get all the equipment online and train staff on the new operating systems before the May opening.
When the Aquafun Centre does open, Holmen said she expects the facility to run much more efficiently, and patrons will enjoy a higher quality of pool water, due to the facility's improved filtration equipment.
Additionally, she added a much-improved mechanical room, which now has all the operational equipment on one level, will make life much easier for staff.
"It's much better this way to work with and manage our equipment."
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