Upgrades to Vernon’s popular peanut pool may cost more than expected, according to a report to council.
Council first offered its support to Greater Vernon Recreation Services to apply for funding to revitalize the aging Lakeview Wading Pool in January 2019.
The revamp of the pool, opened in 1958, would see a new spray park adjacent to the pool and the replacement and relocation of washrooms and mechanical storage building.
The new pool design includes a zero-depth entry, handrails, wide pathways and large accessible washrooms. The addition of a heating system would make the pool more comfortable for swimmers on cooler days while allowing for the option to offer swimming lessons to preschool-aged participants.
After applying to the Canada-British Columbia Investing in Canada Infrastructure, Recreation Services learned it’d be best to add more detail as the first intake of the program was oversubscribed.
The original cost of the project presented in last year was estimated at $2,007,500, but after following advice, Recreation Services engaged consultants, completed a conceptual design and got a detailed cost estimate to improve its chances for the second intake of funding.
The cost estimate came back at $2,599,825 which is $592,325 higher than originally estimated.
The increased cost is largely due to the estimated cost of earthworks and a boosted contingency budget to better align with the infrastructure program’s recommendations, a report to council reads.
“If the city is successful in its application, the federal and provincial governments will fund 73.33 per cent of the project’s eligible costs or $1,887,576,” the report reads. “The consultants that developed this plan have stated that this is a conservative estimate that should position the city well to deliver the project on budget.”
The City of Vernon would be left to foot around 26 per cent of the costs at $686,508 if the application is accepted by the infrastructure program.
Recreation Services said the existing pools is “now well beyond it’s expected life cycle.”
“Because of this, should the grant application be successful, it will be administration’s recommendation to seek council approval to move forward as soon as possible in the spring with the project,” the report reads.
City of Vernon council is set to discuss the item at the Oct. 13 regular meeting.
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