The future of costly repairs at the Vernon Recreation Complex won’t be left in the hands of just a few people.
The Regional District of North Okanagan board voted Wednesday to issue a request for proposals for repair solutions at the facility. It’s estimated the work will cost about $1.7 million.
“The original design had a limited number of participants involved and we don’t want one solution,” said director Doug Dirk of a request for proposals.
There has been damage to the pool walls and roof because exterior finishing installed in 1993 failed and cold exterior air has clashed with humid air from the pool.
Another issue is the pool’s dehumidification system, which was undersized when installed. It was shut off by staff in 1998 because of expensive repairs required to keep the device running.
Dirk believes issuing a request for proposals from contractors is necessary so the repairs are effective for the long-term.
“We want them to look at the problem and say what’s the fix,” he said.
“If they all say the same thing, we can go for the cheapest one.”
Chairperson Patrick Nicol agrees that a broad-based, open process is required.
“We want to make sure we don’t go down the same road as before,” he said.
The $1.7 million in repairs also includes replacing the original heating lines that were not installed correctly when the complex was built in 1965.
This had led to the lines rotting out in the auditorium.
