Doon community centre expansion $1.14M over budget
Kitchener is trying to find ways to deal with a $1.14-million cost overrun for planned upgrades to the Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre.
Last year, council approved a $4-million, 9,000-square-foot expansion, with work slated to get underway this summer. The concept includes a new gymnasium, two multi-purpose program rooms, a central foyer area, office space and a new splash pad.
But a report going to the community and infrastructure services committee next Monday says a construction tender issued earlier this year resulted in just three bids, the lowest being $1.14 million more than the architect’s estimate.
A third party brought in to analyze the proposal found a number of factors contributed to the variance, such as increased construction activity, which may have resulted in limited availability of trades and subcontractors. The region’s closed tendering process also restricts non-union trades from being hired for infrastructure projects.
“In their opinion, having only three bidders submit a bid does not constitute a fully competitive process,” the report states.
The estimated cost per square foot of the expansion was substantially higher than other community centre projects the city has undertaken in the past. And while the city has found the funding to cover similar shortfalls for similar projects, some have been delayed or reduced in scope.
Discussions with the lowest bidder, Gateman-Milloy Inc., to reduce the cost of alterations to the community centre without jeopardizing building functionality and the splash pad, or significantly decreasing the expansion square footage, have resulted in savings of about $510,000.
Coun. Yvonne Fernandes said the cost-cutting measures include lower ceiling height and eliminating a separate entrance to the library.
“Which I think is fine,” she said. “I think it’s much better for the community to all enter through one entrance, and with the open concept between the community centre and library, I think that’s going to be a nicer, free-flowing space.”
Lowering the roof in the gymnasium is somewhat contentious because a higher ceiling is needed for sports like volleyball, she said.
“My hope is that we can continue to partner, which we have with other schools, to accommodate the need for that higher ceiling.”
The Doon Pioneer Park Community Association will contribute $80,000 to the project. However, it will still be necessary to add $550,000 to the overall budget.
“I know we’re still over by half a million dollars and I’m sincerely hoping that council will find it in their hearts to support that,” Fernandes said.
“This community’s been waiting for this expansion for a long time and with the amount of growth that’s happening in the Doon South area, it’s quite a need.”
A smaller renovation would increase pressure for programming, the report states.
The Doon Pioneer Park business case projected a population increase of between 8,366 and 11,086 people and a household increase of between 3,512 and 4,000 units by 2036.
Staff is recommending council precommit funds from future development charges, a fee paid by developers to offset the cost of new community amenities such as community centres.