THEATRE BLOWS OUT
THE Cairns Performing Arts Centre’s opening has been delayed by more than a year until September due to multimillion-dollar blow-outs, extras and unforeseen construction hurdles.
The additional costs associated with CPAC have grown by at least $3.8 million to $68.9 million. It is not due to open until September, 13 months after the original date of August, 2017.
CONSTRUCTION has gone off script and over budget at the slowly surfacing Cairns Performing Arts Centre.
The budget has blown out by at least $3.8 million and the opening delayed until September this year, more than a year after the original date.
Cairns Regional Council allocated $65 million in 2015 to develop “The Precinct”, a project encompassing the old Cairns Civic Theatre’s replacement and a complete overhaul at Munro Martin Parklands.
The parklands reopened in August 2016 after notching up a $10 million spend.
The council was forced to rethink its budget for the performing arts centre last year, revising its projected costs to $66.5 million as a stand-alone project.
Its scheduled completion was also postponed from August last year to “early-2018”.
The plan has now taken another dramatic turn with the doors not expected to open until September this year.
Mayor Bob Manning this week told the Cairns Post another $3.8 million had been added to the projected costs, which were now $68.9 million.
It means the original combined $65 million budget for the two Precinct works has soared to $78.9 million.
“The project launch budget of $66.5 million (for the performing arts centre) was based on the known facts at that time,” Cr Manning said.
“This is never an exact science and it is very difficult to provide an exact timeline for construction of a building of this magnitude and complexity.”
Cr Manning said crews had discovered more asbestos than predicted during the demolition process and foundation work was hampered by poor ground conditions due to marine mud and a high water table.
“While this was expected to an extent, we couldn’t be entirely sure what we were dealing with until works began,” he said.
“Our ability to be flexible has also allowed us to make some improvements to the scope of the project to futureproof this valuable community asset.
“For instance, inclusion of additional back-of-house, dressing room and rehearsal facilities will meet needs well into the future.”
Cr Manning suggested changes came with the territory.
“As with the timeline, it is difficult to put certainty around the budget early in the project,” he said. “Projects of this magnitude always have a contingency written into the budget.”
editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost