Township hires former city manager

Mary Gallop to guide new Cavan Monaghan Township arena project

MILLBROOK – Cavan Monaghan Township will bring in a veteran player to help guide its new arena plan forward.

Mary Gallop, who retired as the City of Peterborough’s manager of facilities and special projects last year, has signed on with the township as a consultant as plans for a new community centre take shape.

“I’m happy to be part of this process,” she told council Monday, pointing out that at the city, she guided several large-scale projects, including the Sport and Wellness Centre, the Trent Athletics Fields, the Fleming Sports Field Complex, the Market Hall restoration, the new Clonsilla Ave. fire hall and others.

Cavan Monaghan’s 2017 budget includes $95,417 for Gallop’s work on the project, which will replace the aging Millbrook Arena. No site has been chosen, although construction is expected to begin in late summer and last 12 to 14 months.

Council heard a report by Gerry Barker, the township’s parks and facilities manager, and endorsed its two recommendations: The formation of a technical advisory committee and a community stakeholder committee.

Staff started working on a request for proposals (RFP) in January, with council voting to approve an RFP for design and construction up to a maximum of $15 million.

Gallop, however, told council that that approach – an RFP for a design-build contract – would not be her preferred route. Instead, she said, council should consider a design-bid-build process, one that would see an architect develop a plan before a cost consultant steps in to ensure the eventual winning construction bid meets financial targets.

Design-build projects “have been the most complex at the end of the day” Gallop said, explaining that they tend to come in over budget. “As each week, as each month, goes by, construction escalation increases.”

The design-bid-build approach, on the other hand, gives the township more control over the cost of the project.

She also pointed out that the township’s procurement bylaw allows single-sourcing on projects like this, so council could approach a preferred architect and ask for a bid. She suggested going with an architect with experience building arenas, which aren’t like warehouses or malls, but more akin to large-scale refrigeration plants.

With council’s approval, she said, she could begin that process immediately.

Coun. Tim Belch said council has looked into MacLennan Jaunkains Miller Architects, the firm that designed the new North Kawartha Community Centre in Apsley.

The two new committees will now be assembled as the project moves forward, council heard.