The North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee will for a second time dip into reserves to pay for the new Multipurpose Agriculture Building at Alex Fraser Park in Quesnel.
The estimated cost was originally just under 577 thousand dollars but it was raised back in May of last year up to 895 thousand dollars, mainly due to higher than expected consulting costs.
And last night the budget was increased again, this time up past the 1.2 million dollar mark.
City Councillor Ron Paull says he’s getting tired of the cost overruns…
“And as I said in the meeting it’s embarrassing because when I get out on the street and talk to people and they say “what the hell are you doing giving another increase to this project ?”, and the economy what it is, and tax notices are going to be coming out soon, and it just kind of piles onto you.”
The reasons for the latest cost increase include the need to install a strip foundation which was not anticipated, the need to construct an upgraded fire truck access road, considerably more geotechnical testing and civil design work, and utility connections which were not included in the budget.
The Committee will pay for the increases to the project using $238,120 out of capital reserves.
That concerned Mary Sjostrom, the Cariboo Regional District Director for Area A, over possibly depleting the reserves…
“I just think on the ongoing planning, and we’ve got some asset management that’s going to be happening, with Sub Regional Rec and all the entire Cariboo Regional District and our services, and I just think that we need to be really cognizant of the fact that we do need to have those reserves there.”
The Committee also unanimously voted in favour of deferring a structural assessment to a future year, and to reduce the amount allocated for drainage projects in the park from 64 thousand dollars down to twenty.