Renovations to the Akinsdale/Kinex arenas will cost more double the city's original estimates, after council topped up the budget Tuesday.
The revised budget has climbed to $620,000, more than double the original $300,000 approved in 2008. Chris Jardine, general manager of community and protective services, told council the budget variance was due to a variety of factors.
"There was some asbestos that was found that we didn't know was there … with the degree of renovations going on it made sense to make the washrooms accessible," he said.
Although the project was approved in 2008, cost estimates were calculated using 2006 dollars instead of 2010. An in-depth design review conducted shortly after budget approval found flaws in the original cost project estimates related to the asbestos discovery, and the expansion of the new change rooms over a number of underground services.
The renovations will also include a second referee's change room, allowing male and female referees to have separate areas to prepare and clean up after games.
A $116,000 federal grant is expected to help cushion the effects of the cost increase. Council agreed to cover the remaining $204,000 using a citywide recreation reserve. That leaves the reserve with a balance of $1.2 million.
Lax planning
Jardine assured council administration has identified ways to improve construction estimates.
"Concept planning was a little loose, lax at the time," he later explained. "We're definitely recognizing some shortfalls in past practises and we're trying to account for that."
Jardine said conceptual drawings are now cross-referenced with the public works and engineering departments to check for potential conflicts in the design, with consultations held to correct any potential problems. He also said that when projects are planned out for future years, they try to present a figure that accounts for inflation and rise of building costs.
However, Jardine said that when it comes to planning capital projects scheduled for years down the road, it's hard to get all of the factors perfect, pointing to the recent recession as an example of unaccountable challenges.
"Long term plans, like our 10-year capital plans are hard to work with," he said. "The more sophisticated we get, the more complicated we get."
Coun. Lorie Garritty described the project as needed, adding it's unfortunate costs escalated.
