Lansdowne's urban park overshot budget by 23%

The City of Ottawa overshot the authorized spending target for the urban park portion of the Lansdowne redevelopment by 10 per cent, or23 per cent more than the budget originally allocated for the city-built portion of the project.

While Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group led the redevelopment of the stadium and retail areas, the city was fully responsible for the seven-hectareurban park.

The city's original budget forrenovating and relocating the Horticulture Building, renovating the Aberdeen Pavilion, and creating theplayground, skate park, great lawn andpublic squares was$37.5 million.

With contingencies accounted for, staff had$42.5 million to work with.

But at a meeting of the city's finance and economic development committee Tuesday, MarcoManconi, the citymanager responsible for Lansdowne'sdesign and construction, said staff used up that contingency fundingand needed an extra $3.7 million, takingtotal costs for the urban cost to $46.2 million.

Soin total, costs increased by 23 per cent over the original budget for the urban park.

"The additional costs were primarily associated with advancing some elements of the park to ensure safety at the time of site opening," wroteManconi.

Beyond original scope

In the summer of 2014,the playground and skate park had a grand openingin mid-August, a month after the stadium hosted its firstRedblacksgame.

Work on the Horticulture Building, which opened that November,alsowent beyond the original scope in orderto "meet the Ontario Building Code and other unforeseen building condition issues."

None of the work had to do with deficiencies, wroteManconi.

The $3.73 million in extra capitalcosts will be coveredby money that's being returned to reserves by other capitalprojects that have wrapped up andhad unused amounts, according to the city's treasurer, MarianSimulik.

The urban park cost overrun from 2014 is one of many budget adjustments on a list that was consideredTuesday by the city's finance and economic development committee.

Because the amount surpasses the city's delegated authority limits,council will have to approve itat an upcoming meeting.