The District of Port Hardy has offcially given the green light to begin construction on the first phase of the multiplex project.
A Committee of the Whole Meeting was held on March 19. where Port Hardy council had to decide on one of three options regarding the future of the Multiplex project.
They decided on the second of three options, which were (one) to defer the project until more funding is secured, (two) to authorize staff to begin the construction process of the Multiplex project in 2018 with a phased approach, or (three) to begin phase one scaled back to a smaller budget.
Port Hardy Mayor Hank Bood explained that phase one of the project includes “The original project that came back from our architects plus one lane” with space for the mezzanine “roughed in”. Phase one is projected to cost $12,750,00, whereas the entire project, which includes the additional features and the demolition of the current pool, is sitting at a projected cost of $14,382,116.
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“The really good thing about this project is that we can go ahead with the $12,750,00 and fund other stuff later,” said Bood, adding “For example the things that we were going to add… the mezzanine, to create a skateboard park, those are standalone projects that we can add to the project we have.”
With the funding the District of Port Hardy has already received, including the $6,000,00 Gas Tax grant, $250,00.00 from Marine Harvest, and $500,000 from the Community Forest Fund, they would still have to borrow $5,000,000 from the electorate in order to fund phase one.
“If we begin phase one of the construction the consideration is yes we would have to borrow five million on the district and look for ways of paying that back,” said Chief Administrative Officer Allison McCarrick, who also noted that each year construction is deferred costs will escalate 10 to 12 per cent, and six to eight per cent for the additional features.
Council also noted the possibility of securing further funding from the Province, after a promising conversation with Selena Robinson who is the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
“As of yet we haven’t got a commitment from the province to be a partner but after our conversation with the minister yesterday we sent it to staff to further explore those options,” said Bood, adding “the conclusion of that meeting was that staff was going to get together and see what they could come up with - that is provincial staff and our staff.”
Coun. Dennis Dugas expressed concern for taxpayers and small businesses stating he was in favour of deferring the project until more funding was actually secured.
“At this particular time I’m not in favour of anything but waiting,” said Dugas, adding “We need to be a little bit more patient we don’t have to make a decision today whether we move ahead or not.”
After a brief discussion about timing, Director of Operations Abbas Farahbakhsh noted that if council approves the construction process it would be at least three months for the tenders to go out and the contract to be awarded.
“I am optimistic that the provincial government will come on board and that they will find some year-end money at the that will go into this phase one,” said Coun. Pat Corbett-Labatt, adding “What I am really impressed with is how many people have stopped me saying so ‘I’m happy that we have got a pool’ and that things are moving forward in this town. “
McCarrick also explained that they would not decommission the current pool until the new pool, which would be constructed near the backside of the Civic Centre, was operational. “If it could be seamless that would be awesome,” said McCarrick.
No councillors expressed interest in the third option of scaling back the project to a smaller budget. All councillors, except Coun. Dugas, voted in favour of option two: to begin construction of phase one which includes the four lanes and the mezzanine “roughed in”.