Exterior work to begin on Roselawn Centre

Repair and improvement work to the Roselawn Centre in Port Colborne will soon be underway.

At Tuesday night’s council meeting, councillors unanimously voted to award the project to King Contractors of Niagara Ltd. The Niagara Falls- based company submitted a price of $ 244,100 for the exterior shell repairs part of the project, plus an additional $ 37,500 to install a four- foot high decorative fence with gates as well as to remove and replace copper flat seam roofing on the front vestibule and east bay window.

Steve Shypowskyj, manager of projects and design for the city, noted the total tender price of $ 281,600 is in under the $ 490,000 budget.

Funding for the project will come from the city, with contributions of $ 140,000 from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program grant given to the city earlier this year and $ 50,000 raised by the Friends of Roselawn Centre.

Ward 4 Coun. Ron Bodner brought the item forward during council because he didn’t see an estimated date of completion in the report submitted to council about the project.

Shypowskyj said the work must be completed by March 31, 2018 in order to retain the funding from the Canada 150 grant, so it is expected to be done by then.

The report indicates the exterior restoration will include roofing and work to make the building weathertight.

Asphalt shingle roofing will be replaced, dormers in the mansard roof will be restored, deteriorated wood will be repaired and a bay window on the south wall will be rebuilt for weatherproofing and stability.

The work doesn’t involve all the roofing as an assessment completed in 2010 by Shoalts Engineering indicated modified bitumen roofing on the building was in good shape, as were most of the brick and stone masonry walls. Those areas will only be affected — other than when necessary — if they overlap with one of the areas getting repairs.

According to the report, the building was built between 1860 and 1880, with several additions having been added on since its construction. Included in the additions were a dining room facility and curling rink, which are now the theatre and office spaces.

Port Colborne purchased the building in 2008 from private owners. Since then, minor repairs and many replacements of mechanical equipment has taken place. lbarton@ postmedia. com twitter. com/ LBartonTribune