Council recently approved allocating about $9,000 for repairs to several of the Sundre Community Centre building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system’s rooftop units.
“The HVAC has not been checked regularly at the community centre — it has at all other town facilities,” said Barb Rock, community services assistant, during the Aug. 20 meeting.
The municipality this year entered into an agreement with Bells Plumbing & Heating for annual as well as semi-annual general maintenance plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning for the town’s facilities, reads background documentation prepared for council by administrative staff.
“They came out and they checked all the rooftop units, and five of the units were condemned — the gas was shut off. There’s cracks in the heaters, and if they continue to run the way they were, then we could have carbon monoxide, potentially, fume into the building. So this is an emergent matter,” said Rock, adding the affected off-line units were no longer generating heat.
The community services assistant said administration sought council’s approval to grant the recommended action to get the work done, with the expense being covered by reserves.
Opening the floor for further discussion, Coun. Rob Wolfe motioned administration’s recommendation as presented to accept the quote of $8,997 plus $449 GST from Bells Plumbing & Heating to repair five rooftop units at the community centre to be paid for by that facility’s reserve fund.
Coun. Cheri Funke inquired how much would remain in that reserve following the repairs, as well as whether the community centre’s maintenance expense would be included in the budget.
“The maintenance will absolutely be added to the budget,” replied Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, opening the floor to Chris Albert, director of corporate services.
“Currently, we have approximately $42,000 available,” said Albert, adding that will leave about $33,000 once the work is done and paid for. However, there is also about $15,000 set aside for other purposes at the community centre, he added.
“In total, we’d be around $48,000 left in that account.”
Mayor Terry Leslie wanted to know whether the municipality had a joint use lease arrangement with Chinook’s Edge School Division for the community centre.
“The only joint use we have is over the P2 partnership that we started in 2006, and the access to the gym. So they just rent the gym and they use the parking lot,” said Rock.
“So fundamentally, that facility is owned by the Town of Sundre; it’s not leased, it is owned?” the mayor asked.
“Correct,” said Rock.
Wolfe asked if any other quotes, other than Bell Plumbing, had been received.
“No, we didn’t,” replied Rock.
“The quote was from a very reputable company, and the timeline is just very sensitive — we need to get this done.”
HVAC specialized companies are “far and few between” and the work approved by council was expected to be completed within 10 days or so, she said.
Council went on to carry Wolfe’s motion.
