THUNDER BAY – Council will soon decide on the next phase of the Centennial Conservatory renewal.
Cory Halvorsen, manager of parks and open spaces, will appear on Monday night with a recommendation to award the contract to MBuilds Limited Partnership up to the amount of over $7.7 million.
“We did receive two tender submissions from contractors for this project that both came in above our estimated cost of $5.1 million, so there is an additional financial component to awarding the contract,” Halvorsen said.
“There are several reasons for the price increase, whether it's supply and demand for either materials or contracting services. There are also some specialized components to the project including the glazing.”
The glazing component that Halvorsen is referring to involves trading in single-pane glass for insulated multi-wall acrylic panels with the intent being that it won’t require the whitewashing that is currently on the facility now.
When discussing phase one of the renewal, Halvorsen noted that they are very satisfied with those efforts.
“It was essentially completed within a one-year period and included the demolition of the back of house greenhouses as well as the construction of a new greenhouse facility and an annex building that connects the greenhouses to the existing facility,” noted Halvorsen.
“Everything was finished on budget and on time.”
Phase two will tackle everything that the public has been anticipating, according to Halvorsen.
“We will eventually have full access to the facility once again, and make it better than before in regards to accessibility and building controls and automation."
Garden doors will be added at the end of both wings to allow access to the outdoor event and garden space.
The east wing layout will include an open concept heated slab for seasonal installations and amenities for hosting events.
The west wing layout will include renewal of the walking paths with raised planting area edges and walls providing enhanced arid/cacti display opportunities and integrated seating locations.
Both side wings have been closed since 2012 after they failed to meet building code.
“Timing is really crucial. We left the schedule open for bidders to consider not only completing it this year but also extending it into next year as well.”
Halvorsen said phase three will focus on giving a facelift to the parking lot and upgrading the green spaces on site.
The conservatory renewal would be scheduled for completion in the spring or summer of 2025.
