The final invoices have been submitted for the District of Port Hardy's indoor swimming pool remediation project, and it has officially come in under budget.
In a report to council that was included in the Oct. 8 agenda, Chief Administrative Officer Heather Nelson-Smith noted the total cost of the project came in at $4,998,952.55, just under council's budget of $5,006,629.00, leaving a difference of $7,676.45.
Nelson-Smith stated in the report that the pool was originally built over 45 years ago and it had finally reached a state of severe deterioration by 2019.
"The facility lost approximately 40 cubic meters of water per day (40,000 litres), making continued operation unsustainable," she wrote, which is why it had to be shut down in June of 2021. "Unfortunately, the pool was closed for nearly three years due to the extensive nature of the renovations and delays caused by various factors."
Initially, the district wanted to tear the old pool down and build a brand new multiplex to replace it. The district went to the public to seek input on the direction council should consider. The survey results returned 74 per cent in favour of building a new aquatic facility and a referendum (Assent Voting Opportunity) was held Oct. 22, 2016, where the electors of Port Hardy approved the project and the district started to collect taxes in 2018 to build the multiplex. The district quickly received a $250,000 donation from aquaculture company Mowi to start things off on the right foot.
However, thanks to tender bids coming in 40 per cent higher than anticipated, the district was forced to go look for more capital from the provincial government (the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Community, Culture and Recreation grant) as the project’s budget had suddenly ballooned all the way up to $22.4 million.
When the provincial funding fell through in 2020, "it became evident that constructing a new pool was no longer a viable option, leading to a strategic shift towards remediation," wrote Nelson-Smith. She added that council decided to go with their second option, which was to "pursue a remediation strategy to extend the life of the existing pool."
At that point, the district ended up giving back the $250,000 donation to Mowi, as well as 5.4 of the six million dollars they had received in grant funding from the federal government for their multiplex project. Despite the switch from building a multiplex to remediating the old pool, the district continued to collect taxes (which are still ongoing to this day) into a debt reserve fund for the swimming pool.
According to Nelson-Smith's report to council, initial cost estimates back in 2019 projected that remediating the old pool would cost around $2.3 million dollars. Unfortunately, the project ended up having some serious problems come up right from the start.
"While the remediation plan allowed the pool to remain operational, numerous challenges arose," Nelson-Smith wrote in her report, pointing out inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and critical materials, like the Myrtha Pool Liner that had to be shipped in from Italy, ended up being "delayed for months due to shipping and staffing issues. A shortage of tradespeople exacerbated delays, especially as severe fires in BC, Yukon, and Alberta meant many trades had to stop projects due to evacuations causing a back up of work when the evacuation orders were lifted."
All of these issues combined ended up pushing the district's budget of the project to a grand total of $5,006,629.00.
"Thanks to a generous donation of $250,000 from BHP we were able to go into the project with a healthy contingency," confirmed Nelson-Smith.
The extensive renovations done to the old pool were listed in the report:
1. A state-of-the-art liner was installed to prevent severe leakage. This was chosen over retiling due to the cost, the need for future maintenance, and the need to secure the basin.
2. Energy-efficient lighting systems were installed for improved visibility and safety.
3. New UV disinfection and filtration systems were added to ensure better water quality. We replaced the saltwater chlorination with a chlorine puck system to help reduce costs upfront and with supply in the future. In addition, salt is hard on metals and the building; this change will help preserve the building and existing new mechanical and electrical systems.
4. Replacement of old boilers with energy-efficient systems.
5. A complete overhaul of the electrical system for safety and reliability.
6. New pumps and upgraded air handling and exhaust systems were installed to improve ventilation and climate control.
7. A custom-built HVAC system, which faced delays due to procurement and manufacturing challenges. High demand for HVAC equipment and material shortages further delayed its arrival.
8. Interior renovations, which included fresh paint throughout the facility, replacement of inefficient doors and windows with energy-efficient models, and new tiling installed for a modern aesthetic and improved functionality.
"Since reopening, the community's response has been overwhelmingly positive," stated Nelson-Smith. "The manager of recreation’s report from the last committee of the whole meeting highlighted the impressive usage statistics since the pool’s reopening. This increased usage demonstrates the community’s excitement and appreciation for the newly renovated facility."
"The project was also bolstered by the success of barrier-free funding from the BC Healthy Living Alliance, which enabled the pool to be accessible to all members of the community. This funding ensured that the facility met modern accessibility standards, making it welcoming for people of all abilities."
Nelson-Smith concluded her report by stating the district is "celebrating the success of this project, as the pool has once again become a hub of activity and recreation for residents."
If you're wondering, Port Hardy's indoor swimming pool currently does not have an operational hot tub or a sauna, but the district's manager of capital projects is working on both items for the 2024/2025 capital works budget.
"[It was a] little bit more than what we first estimated," joked Coun. Dennis Dugas about the budget after the report was brought up for discussion.
"Little bit more than we anticipated spending, but still within budget," agreed Mayor Pat Corbett-Labatt.
