Dressing room addition gets fast tracked

By Trevor Busch
Taber Times
tbusch@tabertimes.com

The proposed construction of new dressing room additions to the Taber Arena for 2015 has taken a significant step forward following a resolution by town council.

At their Dec. 15 meeting, town council voted unanimously to direct administration to create a design to build to prepare an RFP (Request for Proposals) document, outlining the requirements for the building and the performance of the successful contractor. The RFP would indicate submissions must reflect or include the contractor being assigned the role of prime contractor, that the contractor would need to provide engineered drawings, and apply for building permits and licences required for the project to be completed satisfactorily.

RFP submissions would be reviewed by administration and a recommendation for tender award would be presented to council before any dollars would be spent on the project.

A rough conceptual plan for the dressing rooms addition reflects an addition of approximately 2,375 square feet.

Based on an estimated $200 per square foot construction cost, the project cost has been pegged at $475,000. The project is currently allocated $450,000 in the 2015 capital budget.

Continuing to champion the expeditious completion of the proposed project, Coun. Andrew Prokop did question the preliminary cost estimates provided by administration, while attempting to drill down to a final figure.

“We don’t know, and you’ll see all of that information with the submissions that will be presented to you,” said community services director Rob Cressman. “Right now, the $450,000 is a budget estimate from staff, with some background to it, but it’s not a detailed quote.”

According to administration, since the original construction of the Taber Community Centre complex, the need of user groups for dressing rooms has increased as a result of increased demand from younger age groups, new user groups, female participants, and referees.

“I’m very much in favour of this happening, it’s a huge need to have,” said Coun. Prokop. “The initial proposal was $375,000, and we’re up another $75,000. I’m just wondering where that difference came from.”

Council previously directed administration to proceed with development planning for two additional dressing rooms and a referee dressing room at the community centre, which will be considered in the 2015 capital budget.

“The $450,000 number came from some review of the dressing room addition project a few years ago, and I believe we used a cost-of-living adjustment to try to estimate that number better in today’s dollars than based on the past,” said Cressman.

With input from recreation staff, administration has developed a list of requirements and specifications.

Coun. Joe Strojwas attempted to assuage Coun. Prokop’s concerns, reminding council the project would still need a final approval once the figures and plans were finalized.

“This still has to come back to council for a final figure,” said Coun. Strojwas.
“The design to build is the most effective and the quickest way to proceed with this here. The amount will still come back to us, and we’ll still have the final say on the amount that’s being spent and the design plan.”