Legislative Building springs a leak
Although the big reveal for the provincial budget is just a week away, it’s a leak of a different sort that’s causing concern at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.
Whether a harbinger of trickle-down economic policies or a reflection of the rising hot air, the spring thaw has seen one too many drips on the third floor of the stately building, resulting in some soggy ceilings this week.
Building manager Steve Bata said the historic structure is not immune from the same melting issues plaguing many homeowners, but the problems are further complicated by the restoration work — which involves water and misting stonework — underway on the dome.
“It’s a big enough issue that we’re going to have to do a lot of ceiling repair up there,” Bata said Wednesday. The price tag isn’t known at this point, but it will run into the thousands, he estimated.
Over the years, the building has had various problems with water leaks. But they’ve increased in the centre core with the work on the dome. Some 11 to 14 spots where water has penetrated have been found since that work began.
Bata noted there likely would have been a problem this spring regardless of the renovation work.
“A lot of the reason we’re doing the fix is to stop water from penetrating inside the building,” he said. “So the work that we’re doing to stop that will stop that. It’s just now, it’s allowing it in a few more spots.”
The dome project involves removing stonework and exposing copper roofing. It not only requires spraying water, but can also allow the elements in until the work is completed.
“So (the leaks) are not a surprise, but just tricky to find,” said Bata. Some of the areas workers need to access are quite high up, and some of the cracks very small.
Water damage has mostly been confined to the plaster ceilings — which have burlap in them, as was commonly used when the building was constructed in 1912. But, for the most part, the recent leaks haven’t impacted any of the major, ornate crown mouldings and carvings, although it has touched some smaller decorations that Bata is confident can be repaired.
“The project team is doing a lot of things to make sure there isn’t any more damage the best we can.”
Bata said the leaks won’t delay work on the dome, slated for completion in 2016.
But the ceiling repairs will wait, he added, since there’s no point in plastering and painting until the dome is done.