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Lynn Strachan
Councillor
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Work to begin soon on $28-million Rec Centre |
Author: Laurie Watt
Published: Wednesday, February 1, 2006
The new Holly Recreation Centre will cost $28 million and include a water slide in the pool area, as well as two rinks, a gym and several activity rooms.
Outside the rec centre, which will have frontage on both Mapleton Avenue and Emms Drive, there will be soccer fields, tennis courts and a playground.
"This is one of our Top 10 priorities. It's a very exciting day for all the residents, especially those in the south end, which is underserviced (in terms of recreation)," said Councillor Lynn Strachan.
Councillors approved awarding the contract to low bidder, Bondfield Construction of Concord. A total of three prequalified companies applied; none were local.
Site work will start shortly, with major work under way by mid-March, said Ward 7 Coun. Steve Trotter, chairperson of the Holly Rec Centre committee.
Site work will require soil to be removed, specifically that which was dumped on the area before the city bought the site.
Leisure, transit and works director Sid Armatage said the site, located adjacent to Holly Meadows Elementary School on Mapleton Avenue, was once a farm. "Perhaps (the soil issues) go back to the farming days, when they moved soil around to create a better farm," he said. Soil moved in then, however, has to be moved out now.
"This non-native fill material is not suitable to provide the required support for the intended structure and thus significant excavation of the material and placement of proper engineered fill must be undertaken. It is estimated that 17,600 cubic metres needed to be excavated and removed with 24,300 cubic metres of engineered fill imported and placed," the city's report said.
"The estimated value to mitigate the site soils conditions is $700,000."
The committee didn't uncover the issue until development drawings determined the footprint of the building and what would be required to support it - which occurred in June 2005.
The building could be redesigned and retendered, but that would delay the project at least four months and increase construction costs as materials and labour prices rise.
Article courtesy of The Barrie Advance |
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