㽶Ƶֱ

Skip to content

㽶ƵֱFrustrated, disappointed:㽶Ƶֱ Vernon council sounds off on pool costs

Costs have risen from $3.3 to $4.8 million for the Lakeview Wading Pool
web1_230112-vms-peanut-pool-peanut_1
Vernon㽶Ƶֱs beloved Peanut Wading Pool at Lakeview Park on East Hill is being refurbished, but construction delays have resulted in the city announcing the pool will not open in 2023. (City of Vernon photo)

Vernon council is not happy with the escalating costs of the Lakeview Wading Pool Revitalization Project.

In a report to council on Monday, May 13, Stan Mitchell, manager of Recreation Services, requested up to $300,000 in additional funds for the completion of the project.

More funds were needed due to an 㽶Ƶֱapproved and designed power connection that failed the field inspection.㽶Ƶֱ This then led to the need for a new disconnect switch, which added 10-weeks to the project timeline.

According to Mitchell, 㽶Ƶֱdue to interpretation by the field inspector, he deemed that we required one more disconnect switch, which we had to add to get his approval on the project.㽶Ƶֱ

The project has seen numerous delays, as it was initially expected to be re-opened in the summer of 2023.

㽶ƵֱI am frustrated that this project is significantly over budget,㽶Ƶֱ said Coun. Brian Quiring. 㽶ƵֱWe started at $3.3 (million) and now we are at $4.8 (million) and there is nothing we can do about it except to pass it and it is not fair to the taxpayers.㽶Ƶֱ

Mitchell added that the construction management contract was $18,000 a month for the construction manager and the site supervisor. The manager requested 10 more weeks of supervision due to the need for the new disconnect switch.

㽶ƵֱSome of these escalation costs seem a little bit high to me,㽶Ƶֱ Quiring said. 㽶ƵֱWhen there is a delay, the client shouldn㽶Ƶֱt always be responsible for it because the client didn㽶Ƶֱt cause the delay.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱThere are things on here that just doesn㽶Ƶֱt make any sense. This process did not work.㽶Ƶֱ

Quiring suggested that a post-mortem on the projects process should be done at a later date, which was agreed upon by Coun. Kari Gares.

㽶ƵֱWe do not have any other alternative, and we need to get this pool open,㽶Ƶֱ Gares said. 㽶ƵֱWe are a year behind schedule already and the public has noticed that.㽶Ƶֱ

According to the report submitted to council, cost escalation resulting from the 10-week delay includes landscaping, irrigation, tile work, housekeeping, planting and furniture increases all amounting to a cost of $133,785.

The landscaping and irrigation costs, which were shown to have increased by $45,000, particularly seemed to confuse Gares.

㽶ƵֱWhy are we seeing these increases? Would these things not have already been figured out?㽶Ƶֱ

Mitchell responded that these costs were part of budgets two years ago, and the contracts for these specific areas were not contracted out until recently.

㽶ƵֱI do agree that the way that this worked did not work well,㽶Ƶֱ he remarked.

Coun. Teresa Durning questioned the structure and management of the project and was also 㽶Ƶֱextremely frustrated㽶Ƶֱ in how the project has played out.

㽶ƵֱI am stressed about our accountability to our taxpayers,㽶Ƶֱ Durning said. 㽶ƵֱWe are being pigeon-holed into rubber-stamping this and I would also like to see a post-mortem on this.㽶Ƶֱ

The pool project includes: replacement of the pool basin; a new mechanical, washroom and storage building; and enhancements to the park with the addition of a small spray park. The project is intended to increase accessibility for users and make the space more inviting and sustainable for future use by the Greater Vernon community.

The pool is still on track to be opened by June 28, 2024, and the request for funds was passed by council unanimously, albeit 㽶Ƶֱunder duress㽶Ƶֱ by Quiring.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:



Bowen Assman

About the Author: Bowen Assman

I joined The Morning Star team in January 2023 as a reporter. Before that, I spent 10 months covering sports in Kelowna.
Read more



(or

㽶Ƶֱ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }