Whitehorse city hall renovation to begin this spring, and be done by 2024 - Action News
Home WebMail Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 08:21 PM | Calgary | -7.7°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
North

Whitehorse city hall renovation to begin this spring, and be done by 2024

The City of Whitehorse is on a deadline to finish a major upgrade project to city hall, or risk losing out on somefunding to help cover the $26.2-million price tag.

$26.2-million project must meet Mar. 2024 deadline or risk losing federal funding

A rendering of proposed renovations to Whitehorse City Hall depicts a transit stop that would be integrated into the building. The city hopes to begin work on the project this spring. (City of Whitehorse)

The City of Whitehorse is on a deadline to finish a major upgrade project to city hall, or risk losing out on some funding to help cover the $26.2-million price tag.

"Basically, $15.7 million, the bulk of this project, is coming from [the] Small CommunitiesFund, and that program is designed to end by March 31st, 2024," said Peter O'Blenes, the City's property manager.

"To delay this program any longer is putting this funding at risk."

He said a main concern is the availability of contractors to do the workand more importantly, the supply chain.

"What are they able to get and what are they not able to get? And are they able to get it in the right time frame that we need itin?"

Inflation has affected cost

The goal, O'Blenes said on Thursday, is to clear out of the existing city hall building by May7 so that renovation work can begin. A tender for the project is open to bids until early next month.

City Hall upgrades have been in the books for yearsbut the project morphed over time. The current plan was unveiled last summer with an estimated price tag of about $25-million.

Inflation has since driven up the price, O'Blenes said. City council approved the new price inits latest capital budget.

In all, the city will chip in about $8.7-million, all from reserves. Acting city managerJeff O'Farrellsaid the city is in good financial shapewith about $55-million in reserves, and so it won't need to borrow money to cover its portion.

"The city is very capable of managing the costs of this project," O'Farrell said on Thursday.

"Especially given the fact that the majority of the costs for this project are covered by federal and territorial infrastructure funding sources."

'We just don't know'

O'Blenes said the aim is to have the project done by January 2024. He said that may depend on some things beyond the city's control, though.

"We are hoping things are normalizing across Canada, supply chains and everything else, so we are anticipating and being very optimistic that things will go smoothly. We think that we do have a good estimate here, but again, we just don't know," he said.

"And things changed in the market from when this estimate was done, to now."

Two men sitting at a table, one speaking into a microphone.
City of Whitehorse property manager Peter O'Blenes, seen here in 2018. O'Blenes said on Thursday that the city hall building should be in use by January 2024. (Mike Rudyk)

Ted Laking, the only councillor to vote against the city's capital budget last month, has argued against the city hall renovation. But now that it's going forwardhe wants to ensure there's a solid management plan in place for the project to avoid cost overruns.

"I've been clear all along with respect to this project, that I don't thinktaxpayers want us to go forward with this," he said.

"However, we're now moving forward with this project and I have the philosophy that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade."

With files from Julien Gignac