AIC Construction has been awarded the contract to complete the third and final phase of the multi-million dollar Downtown Revitalization Project.
On Feb. 24 town council approved administration's recommendation that AIC Construction do the work for the third phase of the project for $2,261,235.17, excluding GST. This amount includes a $205,566 contingency to cover unforeseen issues with underground excavation and construction.
The entire three-phase project, which began in 2012, has a budget of about $8.5 million. AIC construction has been awarded the contract for all three phases. Tagish Engineering, which is working directly for the town as the project's consulting engineer, has also recommended to the town to retain AIC Construction for Phase 3.
For the third phase, which will run from 44th Avenue to 47th Avenue, the town has an approved budget of $2,685,000, with the water/wastewater reserves identified as the funding source for about $610,000 of the amount and provincial grant allocations making up most of the remainder.
Council was told it is expected Phase 3 will be completed for less than the budgeted amount and that leftover funds can be allocated for further improvements along 50th Street, including drainage issues, purchasing additional Christmas decorations and lights for phases 2 and 3, and repairs to damaged items in Phase 1.
Craig Teal, the town's director of planning and operational services, said the “lion's share” of budget for Phase 3 will go towards road surface work, new water and sanitation lines and landscaping.
He said when Phase 3 is complete it will look much like Phase 2, which was finished last summer ahead of schedule and on budget.
“What you see in Phase 2, that pattern, is being carried forward into Phase 3,” said Teal. “The boulevard on the north side will expand. There will be a new asphalt path and more plantings. The concrete sidewalk will be widened up.
“Like we did in Phase 2, we are still going to use the existing cobra head lights,” he added. “There will be some minor changes, some cosmetic, like adding some planter arms and banner arms and a slight change to the actual light at the top of the poles.”
Before construction begins in late spring, Teal said there will be more public consultation, likely in late April or early May, particularly on proposed detour routes through downtown. He said project construction, which started in May for the previous two years' work, will begin this year at around Father's Day in June.
“It was more beneficial for some of the businesses if we could start after the May long weekend, after Mother's Day, especially for the restaurants,” said Teal, adding construction of the final phase will go on for about 12 weeks.
Council heard that as the Phase 3 project gets closer to its scheduled starting date, additional communications will be sent out to affected property owners, businesses and the general public. There will also be notices on the town's website, Facebook page and Twitter account.
