Parkhill Rd. tab rises by $204K
Unexpected engineering costs after a deeper gas main was required; road reconstruction, roundabout work still expected to be complete by October
The city is facing nearly $204,000 in unexpected engineering costs on a $26-million reconstruction of Parkhill Road West.
The reconstruction began in 2018 along Parkhill Road West from Wallis Drive to the west city limits — and it’s due to be done in October.
The project includes the construction of the city’s first roundabout where Parkhill intersects with Ackison Road to the north and Brealey Drive to the south.
The work is expected to meet the October deadline, but the city’s engineering firm, D.M. Wills of Peterborough, had to work overtime this winter.
Some of the additional work came about because the gas main that feeds the Jackson Meadows subdivision wasn’t buried deep enough when initially installed, according to a new city staff report.
To reinstall that gas main deeper and still meet the October deadline for roadwork completion, crews needed to work into the winter.
While that didn’t add much to construction costs, it did mean further inspections for D.M. Wills.
Then the heavy rain this winter required engineers to inspect the site regularly, while construction wasn’t taking place, to ensure that environmental standards were being met.
That’s not typically necessary in winter, the report states, since the ground usually freezes and become snow-covered when road crews leave for the season.
Next the early spring meant construction could start again in April, weeks ahead of schedule (which also meant additional work for the engineers).
At a meeting on Monday, councillors will consider a city staff recommendation that additional costs of $203,725 be paid to D.M. Wills for work already done.
Councillors will consider the idea on Monday, at a virtual committee meeting that begins on the city’s website at 6 p.m.
Also on Monday’s agenda:
John Howard Society group home
The John Howard Society wants to convert a large twostorey house on Stewart Street from its administrative offices into a group home.
The house would accommodate seven to 10 men who’ve been released from jail as they transition back to community life, plus two live-in staff supervisors.
To set up a group home, the John Howard Society needs a zoning bylaw amendment from city council.
City staff recommends granting the zoning amendment because the home “fills a need for specialized housing in the community.”
Councillors will consider it at the meeting.
Emergency roof work
The once-leaky roof over the curatorial building of the Peterborough Museum and Archives has been replaced at a cost of nearly $215,000, states a new city staff report to councillors.
The building, which houses the museum’s collections, was built in 2014 — and by 2016, the roof (which was no longer under warranty) began to leak.
Repairs were attempted but the leaks got worse, and by last summer staff was concerned about potential damage to the museum’s collections.
The situation was deemed an emergency, so there was no competitive bid process: instead city staff hired Trinity Roofing Ltd., a Toronto firm that has previously bid lowest on contracts and done work for the city.
The firm started fixing the roof last fall but was forced to stop in December due to snow piling up on the roof; work was completed in May.
Council had set aside $250,000 for museum roof repairs in the 2020 municipal budget, and the money was taken from this fund.
Councillors will receive the report at the meeting.
Homelessness
The city and its partner agencies matched 193 households with housing, between January and March, according to a new city staff report.
The city has a goal of ending chronic homelessness by 2025 and the new report updates councillors on progress.
One new tool city staff is using is a list of names and contact information for homeless people. The list allows city staff to contact people when housing becomes available.
Peterborough city and county now has 1,247 units of affordable housing, the report states, but would require 2,680 to meet all needs (an increase of 1,433 units).